Johnson apologises

Rowan Smith, although New Zealanders Stacey Jones and Ricky Henry were now involved.

Endacott felt Kidwell, the current Kiwis coach, had been given the job ‘‘a little bit too soon’’ without enough support.

‘‘When David was appointed last year, I said ‘give him the trip to England and . . . then make an assessment of how he went’.’’

The Kiwis struggled in the Four Nations tournament, drawing with Scotland before losing the final to Australia, 34-8.

Endacott said despite the results, the NZRL ‘‘gave him the job for two years’’.

‘‘You’ve got to look at the people making these decisions.’’

Endacott said the Kiwis’ World Cup exit was ‘‘a disaster’’ and the NZRL needed to make sure ‘‘rugby league people’’ are involved in the Kiwis star Shaun Johnson has apologised for his comments following New Zealand’s shock loss to Fiji in the World Cup quarterfinal.

Johnson, along with captain Adam Blair and coach David Kidwell, were slammed for appearing to blame their fans and media for their poor displays at the tournament.

‘‘The most disappointing thing for me is that everyone who doubted us – the fans, media – yous got your way,’’ Johnson said after Saturday’s loss in Wellington.

On Facebook, Johnson said the past two days have been the toughest of his career.

‘‘Over the last couple days I’ve seen the reaction and what’s been said, so I have to set the record straight. We are responsible for the two good performances and we are responsible for the two poor ones. No one else!

‘‘Immediately following the loss to Fiji I was told I had media. Rattled from what had just happened I said something that came across completely wrong, implying that the fans are to blame for how we played and that they would be satisfied. I f..ked up. Anyone who knows me knows that’s not and and never will be me.

‘‘ I take full responsibility for my performances, good or bad.’’

Earlier yesterday, New Zealand Rugby League chairman Reon Edwards also apologised to fans. The Kiwis lost 4-2 in Wellington on Saturday in what was arguably their worst-ever performance after losing to Tonga 28-22 in Hamilton a week earlier.

Edwards said the heat of battle was to blame for the comments made by Kidwell, Johnson and Blair.

‘‘An apology to the league fans out there is required. I certainly don’t think it was necessary or appropriate to make those comments,’’ he told campaign review.

‘‘It needs to be made by people who actually understand rugby league, with perhaps a couple of people from Sport New Zealand.

‘‘I’ve heard it’s going to be a Sport New Zealand panel, which could have no league people at all.

‘‘That would be wrong. There’s plenty of good people in the game who could do that.’’