Junior Kiwis Pathway To NRL Success

Shaun Johnson - Played in the first Junior Kiwis team in 2010

In 2010, with the advent of the National Youth Competition, the Junior Kiwis was switched to an Under-20′s team and played in a two Test series against the Junior Kangaroos. Since 2011, the Junior Kiwis have faced the Junior Kangaroos at the end of each season in a one-off Test match, usually as a curtain raiser to a senior level Australia-New Zealand Test match.


On Friday the two trans-Tasman rivals will face each other in the curtain raiser to the ANZAC Test at Hunter Stadium, Newcastle. The brief history of this fixture is colourful and littered with big names.

The rivalry commenced on 23 October 2010 when the match was played as a curtain raiser to the New Zealand v England Test at the Westpac Stadium, Wellington. Australia took the honours by 24-16. Dean Gagai, who made his Queensland Origin debut last season, scored two tries. Internationals Michael Oldfield (Tonga) and Justin King (Vanuatu) also crossed along with Cameron King, a Premiership player with St. George.

Shaun Johnson did his best to inspire the Kiwis, scoring a try, but it wasn’t enough until the next test in Rotorua. Incidentally Glen Fisiahi played fullback for the Kiwis. He later scored four tries in a first grade game for the Warriors against the West Tigers at the Westpac Stadium.

In Rotorua New Zealand achieved a record 36-20 victory. They outscored Australia six tries to four. Captain Martin Taupau (Manly) was inspirational scoring a try and making several strong bursts. Carlos Tuimavave (Hull) also got on the score sheet. Corey Norman who has played over 100 NRL games was another prominent Australian player to emerge from the series.

The 2011 match was the last played in Newcastle. Australia was victorious 28-16. Gagai played a big hand scoring two tries. Australia’s captain was Chad Townsend who played 41 games for the Warriors. Premiership winners Kyle Feldt (Cowboys, 2015) and Boyd Cordner (Roosters, 2013) also featured.

Sebastine Ikahihifo who played 39 games for the Warriors scored two tries for the Kiwis. Jason Taumalolo was the most prominent Kiwis junior in the game. In 2015 he won a premiership with the Cowboys and has played four tests for the senior Kiwis.

The 2012 match was staged in Townsville and resulted in a record 48-16 win for the Kangaroos. Alex McKinnon whose career with the Knights was tragically cut short by a broken neck was the Aussie skipper. Australia scored nine tries to four. Canberra pair Erdick Lee and Jack Wighton scored two tries each. David Klemmer has kicked onto play for New South Wales and Australia.

Ngataua Hukatai scored two tries for the Kiwis. A year earlier he had turned his back on a very promising Union career. David Fusitu’a was another fine Union player. He won a National Top Four with Kelston BHS, but chose the 13-man code. He scored a try in this Test and has kicked onto play for the Warriors.

In 2013 the Kiwis offered far more resistance, but still came up short in Kogarah 38-26. Patrick Mago scored two tries for Australia who crossed for seven in total. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (Panthers) and Kurtis Rowe (Tigers) scored twice for the Kiwis.  Tuimoala Lolohea (Warriors) and Ngani Laumape (Warriors/Hurricanes) played in this match.

The 2014 test at Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland was perhaps the most dramatic in the history of the contest. The weather was atrocious and the game was a brutal struggle with several fights, a pre-game haka stand-off and a dramatic ending captured by NRL.com.

“New Zealand looked to have the game won following a 79th-minute field goal from five-eighth Te Maire Martin gave them a 15-14 lead. But with the siren sounding in the background the drama was far from over.

Kangaroos halfback Ryan Matterson was ruled to have been collected late by Junior Warriors captain Sam Lisone on a final field goal attempt, setting up a 40-metre penalty shot for Clinton Gutherson to win the game.

To a chorus of boos from the small but vocal Kiwi crowd Gutherson pushed the kick to the left, ensuring the Junior Kiwis collected their first win since 2011.”

Despite boasting only one player with NRL experience compared to the Junior Kangaroos’ seven, the New Zealanders were able to better control possession throughout the contest. Maire Martin has gone onto play for the Panthers. Kodi Nikorima who scored a try has already played for the senior Kiwis and Nelson Asofa-Solomona is a regular for the Storm.

Valentine Holmes (Sharks) turned down selection for the Junior Kiwis in 2013 scored two tries for Australia.

Last year Australia won another thriller 22-20. A lost ball with seven minutes left allowed Kiwi winger Tony Tumusa to sprint to the line to bring the Junior Kiwis within two but Zach Dockar-Clay’s sideline conversion was waved away with seven minutes to go and the Aussies held on.

Stunning all-round games from Eels back-rower and Man of the Match Tepai Moeroa and Broncos playmaker Ashley Taylor proved the difference, with Taylor showing some great touches and controlling the game well while also showing incredible pace in two length-of-the-field try-saving chases.
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For the Junior Kiwis, Storm prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona was a massive handful with a series of powerful charges and offloads.

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