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'Seriously strong enough to be pushing Australia': Kiwis a threat after demolishing Tonga

(Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

The Kiwis returned to international rugby league with a dominant 26-6 win over Tonga off the back of a record-breaking performance by fullback Joey Manu.

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Playing their first game in two and a half years, the home side raced out to a 12-0 lead after seven minutes in front of packed Mt Smart Stadium despite a large contingent of support for Mate Ma’a Tonga.

Without any Warriors players, the new look Kiwis were impressive with Melbourne Storm playmaker Jahrome Hughes at halfback and Parramatta’s Dylan Brown at five-eighth .

Former Origin great and Australian international Sam Thaiday had high praise for the Kiwis, claiming it was the ‘best Kiwis team’ he had seen in a long time and said the halves pairing is one he wants to see continue.

“This is the best Kiwis team I’ve seen for a while,” former NRL great Sam Thaiday told Channel 9’s Sunday Footy Show.

“There is a huge Melbourne contingent in this team as well. That halves pairing is absolutely amazing and you throw Joey Manu in at the back, he ran for over 300 metres.

“He’s an absolute freak. He will probably play fullback for the Roosters but they’ve got the best fullback in the world there at the moment in James Tedesco.

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“The Kiwis were absolutely brilliant in this one.

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“It actually makes me excited for the end of the year, to see a great, strong Kiwis team going into this World Cup. If the Kiwis are strong, it actually makes the World Cup a lot better.

NRL journalist Andrew Webster claimed that the Kiwis team was “seriously strong enough to be pushing Australia” to which Thaiday agreed.

“Yeah 100 per cent,” the former Broncos clubman said.

“That’s why I said I was excited by this New Zealand team, if New Zealand are good, it makes Australia better. It makes England better. All these other top tier nations want to play better.

“I love this halves combination, I’d like to see it going forward. Again off the back of the big boys up the middle. They will really shake things up at the World Cup this year.”

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BeamMeUp 2 hours ago
The Springboks have something you don't have

A few comments. Firstly, I am a Bok fan and it's been a golden period for us. I hope my fellow Bok fans appreciate this time and know that it cannot last forever, so soak it all in!


The other thing to mention (and this is targeted at Welsh, English and even Aussie supporters who might be feeling somewhat dejected) is that it's easy to forget that just before Rassie Erasmus took over in 2018, the Boks were ranked 7th in the world and I had given up hope we'd ever be world beaters again.


Sport is a fickle thing and Rassie and his team have managed to get right whatever little things it takes to make a mediocre team great. I initially worried his methods might be short-lived (how many times can you raise a person's commitment by talking about his family and his love of his country as a motivator), but he seems to have found a way. After winning in 2019 on what was a very simple game plan, he has taken things up ever year - amazing work which has to be applauded! (Dankie Rassie! Ons wardeer wat jy vir die ondersteuners en die land doen!) (Google translate if you don't understand Afrikaans! 😁)


I don't think people outside South Africa fully comprehend the enormity of the impact seeing black and white, English, Afrikaans and Xhosa and all the other hues playing together does for the country's sense of unity. It's pure joy and happiness.


This autumn tour has been a bit frustrating in that the Boks have won, but never all that convincingly. On the one hand, I'd like to have seen more decisive victories, BUT what Rassie has done is expose a huge number of players to test rugby, whilst also diversifying the way the Boks play (Tony Brown's influence).


This change of both style and personnel has resulted in a lack of cohesion at times and we've lost some of the control, whereas had we been playing our more traditional style, that wouldn't happen. This is partially attributable to the fact that you cannot play Tony Brown's expansive game whilst also having 3 players available at every contact point to clear the defence off the ball. I have enjoyed seeing the Boks play a more exciting, less attritional game, which is a boring, albeit effective spectacle. So, I am happy to be patient, because the end justifies the means (and I trust Rassie!). Hopefully all these players we are blooding will give us incredible options for substitutions come next year's Rugby Championship and of course, the big prize in 2027.


Last point! The game of rugby has never been as exciting as it is now. Any of Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, France, Argentina, Scotland, England & Australia can beat one another. South Africa may be ranked #1, but I wouldn't bet my house in them beating France or New Zealand, and we saw Argentina beating both South Africa and New Zealand this year! That's wonderful for the game and makes the victories we do get all the sweeter. Each win is 100% earned. Long may it last!


Sorry for the long post! 🏉🌍

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