Timoko hopes Kiwis can hit right notes after a clunky start

With a year between Test matches and only seven members of the side that beat Australia 30-0 in the 2023 final back on deck, the Kiwis never expected their first hit-out to be their best.

Sure, a win over the Kangaroos in Christchurch would have been the perfect way for Stacey Jones to launch his coaching career, and for Shaun Johnson to return to the black jersey, but expectations within the camp were that ring rust would be a factor.

With five Test debutants and a brand-new spine, the Kiwis still managed to complete 33 of 38 sets at 86 per cent, but an inability to cash in on their chances inside the red zone cost them dearly in the 22-10 loss.

On the back of another week together and only one change to last Sunday's side, centre Matt Timoko is adamant the Kiwis can hit their straps 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 has been a good experience getting to know guys like Shaun [Johnson] and Peta [Hiku] and mingling with young boys coming through," said Timoko, who made his Test debut against Samoa in last year's Pacific Championships.

"We had our first hit-out together and we were real clunky in attack but we'll grow from here."

Among the 'new' faces in Jones' side is Johnson, who answered an SOS following the injury to Jahrome Hughes and last weekend played his first Test since the 2019 Lions tour of New Zealand.

Johnson teamed in the halves with Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, who shifted from fullback to five-eighth, while Titans flyer Keano Kini and Knights hooker Phoenix Crossland rounded out the new spine.

"I'm sure I speak for many of us when I say we admired Shaun from afar. He has brought a sense of calmness into our play and our structure and it has been awesome picking his brains and learning from him," Timoko said.

"I'm thriving playing alongside him and getting to know him. He has had a wonderful career and it would be awesome to top it off with a win this week and into the final.

"It has been a long year but it's easy to get up when you put on that black jersey because you're not only representing yourself but also your family and the country too.

"It has been great having past players come in and also the staff who have played Test footy, they have been in this situation before.

"Guys like Adam Blair and Nathan Cayless have the same passion they had when they played so it has been awesome to feed off that."

d so it has been awesome to feed off that."

On the back of 173 run metres and three tackle breaks against the Kangaroos, Timoko heads to his home town Auckland for his fourth Test match full of confidence and keen to put on a show for his family.

"I played my first Test here last year (Eden Park) and I played for the Raiders here in 2023 and I was nervous for those games, but now I'm just excited to catch up with family," he said.

"Hopefully we can put on a good show but we know we'll have to take it to Tonga in the middle.

"We can’t shy away from the physicality – we know they will come off the back fence so we will have to match that."