Timoko hopes Kiwi can hit the right note after a rocky start

With a year between Test matches and just seven members of the team that beat Australia 30-0 in the 2023 final back on the field, the Kiwis never expected their first knock to be their best.

Of course, beating the Kangaroos in Christchurch would have been the ideal way for Stacey Jones to start his coaching career and for Shaun Johnson to return to the black jersey, but the expectation in the camp was that ring rust would be crucial.

With five Test debutants and a completely new core, the Kiwis still managed to complete 33 of 38 sets with an 86 per cent success rate, but a failure to capitalize on their chances in the red zone cost them dearly in a 22-10 loss.

After another week together and just one change to the squad last Sunday, center Matt Timoko is adamant the Kiwis can regain their form in Auckland and set up a rematch with the Kangaroos in the Cup final on November 10 .

“It’s a new set of faces (from last year) and it’s been a good experience meeting guys like Shaun (Johnson) and Peta (Hiku) and interacting with the young guys,” said Timoko, who was making his Test debut. against Samoa in last year’s Pacific Championships.

“We had our first shot together and we were very clumsy offensively, but we will grow from here.”

Among the ‘new’ faces in Jones’ squad is Johnson, who responded to the SOS following Jahrome Hughes’ injury and played his first Test since the Lions’ 2019 tour of New Zealand over the weekend.

At the half, Johnson teamed up with Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, who had moved from fullback to five-eighth, while Titans flyer Keano Keaney and Knights hooker Phoenix Crossland completed the new core.

“I’m sure I speak for many of us when I say we admired Sean from afar. He brought a sense of calm to our game and our structure and it was great to learn from him and learn from him,” Timoko said.

“I really enjoy playing with him and getting to know him. “He’s had a great career and it would be great to end it with a win this week and get to the final.”

“It’s been a long year, but it’s easy to get up when you put on that black jersey because you’re not only offering yourself, but your family and country.

“It was great to have former players come along as well as staff who had played Test football, they had been in this situation before.”

“Guys like Adam Blair and Nathan Keyless have the same passion they have when they play, so it was great to feed off that.”

d, so it was great to eat that.”

After amassing 173 meters of run and three breaks against the Kangaroos, Timoko heads to her hometown of Auckland for her fourth Test match full of confidence and eager to put on a show for her family.

“I played my first test here last year (Eden Park) and in 2023 I played for the Raiders and was nervous going into these games, but now I’m just excited to be able to meet the family,” he said.

“Hopefully we can put on a good show, but we know we’ll have to take it to Tonga.

“We can’t shy away from fitness – we know they’ll come off the back fence so we’ll have to match that.”