“We want to be playing against Australia at least once a year. As it stands, we will only play them at the World Cup, but not in 2025 or 2027.
Reece Walsh’s Kangaroos beat England 3-0 to claim the Ashes.Credit: Getty Images
“We played them before we went to England in 2018, so there’s no reason it can’t be done again before we go to England in 2027.
“It’s really important for the Kiwi brand we go up against the best.
“The Pasifika crowds have been excellent – they are passionate and so rich with culture – but it’s the Trans-Tasman rivalry we love to see, and that applies to every sport. It would be a real battle between the two current teams.
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“We had 10 players out when we lost to Australia last year. We had close to our full squad this year, so it would have been a great game. They have more depth, but we’d more than match it with them in the forwards.”
The Kiwis sent Kieran Foran into retirement a winner on Sunday in front of nearly 29,000 people, and will welcome the return of Jahrome Hughes in the halves for the World Cup, which will be played in Australia in October and November 2026.
Australia have the luxury of welcoming back forwards Liam Martin (fatherhood) and Cam Murray (Achilles), and wingers Xavier Coates (foot) and Zac Lomax (back), provided Lomax does not defect to R360, for next year’s tournament.