Six Reasons The Kiwis Are Going To Win The Four Nations Final This Weekend
On form the Kangaroos should be unbackable favourites to beat the Kiwis at Anfield this weekend. Here are six reasons you should throw that form book out the window and prepare for a Kiwis victory.
1. Their backs are against the wall
The Kiwis just drew (and deserved to lose) to a Scotland team comprised largely of semi-professionals – a performance rightfully decried as one of the worst in team history. Shaun Johnson is obviously feeling the pressure of being the team’s primary playmaker and sidekick Thomas Leuluai’s injury means the Kiwis will be starting a second rower at standoff. Rookie coach David Kidwell seems flat out managing the most basic elements of the coaching gig and at this point looks like he would be more suited to coaching park football.
The Kiwis have lost their last three matches against the Kangaroos by a combined score of 56-10 and now face a Kangaroos team who appeared to be hitting their straps against England. But despite their rather murky overall record the Kiwis have a history of performing at their best when the odds against them seem the greatest.
2. This is just what the Kiwis do
In three of their four title-winning campaigns the Kiwis have lost to the Kangaroos in pool play (2005 Tri Nations, 2008 World Cup, 2010 Four Nations). At this point it seems like less of a trend and more of a strategy. It’s as though the Kiwis know they can cruise through the pool section of the tournament and as long as they have a good dig in the final, no one will remember their shoddy performances in the games leading up to it. If the Kiwis manage to knock off the Kangaroos at Anfield that draw against Scotland will be relegated to little more than a frustrating answer to a pub quiz question.
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3. International league needs the Kiwis to win
A year out from the World Cup a victory for the Kiwis over a star-studded Kangaroos side would be just the thing to build some buzz for international league’s showpiece tournament. A listless performance by the boys in black could herald a return to the bad old days when a major international tournament was just another slow coronation for the Aussies. It’s going to be a tough gig selling tickets to Ireland versus Italy in Cairns if it feels like they might as well hand Australia the trophy at the opening ceremony.
4. The game is being played at Anfield
An iconic sporting ground laden with decades of amazing history. Funnily enough almost none of that history involves rugby league. The decision to play the bulk of this year’s Four Nations away from the hotbed of rugby league fandom just adds to the oddness surrounding the match and almost guarantees a ridiculous result.
5. Shaun Johnson just launched a clothing line
It doesn’t matter how good you look, if you can’t win something (really, anything at this point) then it’s tough work selling fans on your personal brand. The fact that Johnson just launched a clothing line targeted at league fans that only goes up to 2XL throws up more questions about his decision making than his kicking on the fifth tackle. After winning the least-deserved Man of the Match award in the history of organized sport and earning a well-earned serve from rugby league Immortal Andrew Johns, ‘SJ’ desperately needs an epic performance to get his t-shirts and hoodies flying off the shelves.
6. It’s 2016
The All Blacks lost to Ireland, Cronulla won the Premiership, the Chicago Cubs are World Series champions and Donald Trump is going to be President of the United States. At this point it would be more of a shock if the Kiwis didn’t upset the Kangaroos on Sunday.
Comments on RugbyPass
Hopefully this will mean a new Auckland league team to support in the west. Big Warriors fan but it’s very, very stale on that front and I’d like the option of another team if it was to watch league again. League needs to step up BIG time if its to get anywhere, another AK team and something from the capitol or south is a must for the game.
3 Go to commentsGood, deep interview, nice job Frankie!
1 Go to commentsNRL players don’t have anywhere near the number of Tests. Some people would be happy having Rest Homes full if 40 yo ex-players walking, or hobbling more like it, into walls. It’s just a game!
4 Go to commentsNOW Razor is worried about ABs getting injured or overplayed! Didn’t bother him last year. He happily played his AB Crusaders.
4 Go to commentsWhat is the World Rugby U20 players born year.
2 Go to commentsMuch like the Chiefs finally gave up waiting for Atu Moli to ever not be injured, you have to wonder if the Chiefs and Crusaders will let Josh Lord and Ethan Blackadder go next season. They’re being well paid to sit in the injury ward every year. Better off putting those funds towards someone who might actually play.
6 Go to commentsShowed better basic skills than some nz Super sides, who probably would have botched some of those backline moves. This tournament really is too short though. Needs more teams, or have them play two rounds to properly prepare them for the near full-time NH U20 sides.
4 Go to commentsGood grief it’s only six months. Probably just upset it’s not an established kiwi entering their prime they can “project” into green to join the rest.
1 Go to commentsGood player but far from being best in the world. That's an exaggeration. Perhaps Best in world by Northern Hemisphere standards and biasis but certainly not Southern Hemi standards
3 Go to commentsWell one thing about World Cup knock out rounds and Ireland is very clear: they won’t be getting ahead of themselves in ‘27! Because making it beyond the QF is well and truly ‘IN THEIR HEADS’ now…😉
71 Go to commentsHas this guy been dope tested? Sounds like a case of “roid rage”.
1 Go to commentsI would like to see him say that to Eben face to face in a dark alley.
71 Go to commentsYep, lost in translation. There are arrogant people in Ireland, yes. As there are arrogant people in every country, but as a nation, arrogance is not a general characteristic in Ireland. There has not really had a strong representation for any global sport over the years, and hence arrogance is not endemic to Irish people in this regard. I seriously doubt that was said or meant by 12 or 13 players. If it was said, it would have been said in jest and to pay Etzebeth and the Springboks a compliment for how hard fought the game was.
71 Go to commentsOne of the few Bidwell articles I can agree with. If coaches played their players through niggles and consistently played them 80mins then you could make an argument for resting protocols - they obviously don’t and are incredibly responsible, let’s give up the resting nonsense and let the boys play.
4 Go to commentsDaniel Gallan, please for the love of all that is holy, stop writing about rugby. Or at the very least stop telling people you are South African.
21 Go to commentsThis Dr.Rassie 6-2 filth is spreading. We need to ask World Rugby to ban something
1 Go to commentsPity he couldn’t call him a liar to his face, such a brave man.
71 Go to comments“You ain’t counting to 12 or 13 straight after a game, son!” Just because you don’t doesn’t mean everyone else doesn’t “I reckon if anyone said it they would have said, ‘Hopefully, see you in the final’.” Oh, you “reckon”, do you? You weren’t there, you weren’t part of the conversation but you know what was said… Id10T
71 Go to commentsNZ has such a rich history of quality number nines, and woman beaters.
1 Go to commentsThat’s what happens when you are scared of scrums
3 Go to comments