All Blacks inspire New Zealand Kiwis before Rugby League World Cup
Buoyed by a surprise visit from their All Blacks brothers, Stacey Jones’s New Zealand Kiwis are set to open their Rugby League World Cup campaign in Sydney on Thursday night by chasing a rare trans-Tasman double over Australia.
All Blacks Drop In Before Trans-Tasman Blockbuster
The cross-code visit happened during the Kiwis’ captain’s run on Wednesday. Eight All Blacks players, including winger Will Jordan and playmaker Cam Roigard, stopped by the training session to offer support just five days after the All Blacks defeated the Wallabies 50-19 to claim the Bledisloe Cup for the 23rd year.
New Zealand rugby league captain James Fisher-Harris described the visit simply. “It’s just all love and supporting each other and hopefully we can go watch their game on Saturday too, so it’s pretty special,” Fisher-Harris said.
The Kiwis were visited by All Blacks players at their captain’s run, with captain James Fisher-Harris noting that the team looks up to how their rugby union counterparts represent New Zealand as they prepare to face the Kangaroos.
Fisher-Harris Aims to Replicate 2008 World Cup Success
Fisher-Harris believes the current squad features potentially the best forward pack in New Zealand rugby league history. The team’s stated goal is to lift the World Cup trophy and replicate the cultural impact of the famous 2008 Kiwi side that stunned Australia in the final.
Reflecting on the 2008 win, Fisher-Harris said that watching players like Adam Blair, Nathan Cayless, and Benji Marshall inspired him to pursue rugby league. The current captain hopes Thursday’s tournament opener in Sydney can ignite a similar spark for the next generation.
Ponga Joins the Squad for World Cup Run
Adding significant firepower to the backline, fullback Kayln Ponga is set to represent New Zealand for the first time. At 28 years old, the talismanic player opted to wear the black and white jersey for his parents’ homeland after carrying the Newcastle Knights through a late-season surge to the grand final.
Coach Stacey Jones acknowledged the impact of securing Ponga’s services for the tournament. “For the Knights this year and particularly the back end of the season, he carried them to a grand final,” Jones said. “Obviously had a lot of support around him, but he’s got a lot of confidence in his game at the moment and we’re just lucky that we’ve got him on our side.”
Fisher-Harris echoed that sentiment regarding his new teammate’s presence in camp. “It’s not just his playing ability, it’s his leadership and he’s been in the game for a while now,” the prop said.
Thursday night’s fixture marks the official start of the global tournament, pitting the ambitious New Zealand side directly against the Kangaroos on Australian soil.
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