Michael Maguire in brutal New Zealand fallout amid NSW Origin saga
The backlash comes as New Zealand's rugby league weighs up a decision to take over from former NSW coach, Brad Fittler.
New Zealand coach Michael Maguire has faced backlash from a Kiwi rugby league legend after being heavily linked with the vacant NSW State of Origin role. The NSWRL last week offered the former Wests Tigers coach the chance to replace Brad Fittler as Blues coach, following his decision not to take up a one-year extension.
Maguire is yet to accept the Blues' offer but has stressed that he's “100 per cent going to the World Cup” with New Zealand in 2026 after insisting his priority lies with the Kiwi side. Maguire is also an assistant coach at the Canberra Raiders, meaning he would have to juggle three jobs if he took up the Blues role - even if it is on a part-time basis.
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The situation has left Kiwi great Tony Kemp fuming, with the former NRL and English Super League star arguing the New Zealand head coaching role should never be used as "stepping stone" to other roles within Australian rugby league. "We should never have an Australian coaching the Kiwis and then allowed to take an Aussie job such as Origin," Kemp told Wide World of Sports.
"The Kiwis is the pinnacle, not a stepping stone for the Australian pathway system." The 25-cap former Test star says he's concerned New Zealand will eventually become a tier-two nation rugby league team because other "island nations are winning the hearts and minds battle" against his nation and Australia.
There could be some truth to Kemp's sentiment, with big-name NRL stars such as Jason Taumalolo, Jarome Luai and more recently Murray Taulagi turning their backs on the country of their birth to represent island nations such as Tonga and Samoa. Kemp says he wants the NRL to do more to help New Zealand retain its pool of talent and doesn't want the head coaching role for the national team becoming a haven for sacked NRL coaches - in what could be seen as a pointed swipe at Maguire.
"The NRL needs to grow some balls and take over our game in NZ for the sake of the grassroots game," Kemp added. "We are a tournament-based competition that promotes scouting and also a pathway for sacked NRL coaches to get back into the game."
Michael Maguire wants to lead NZ at 2026 World Cup
Maguire is yet to be unveiled as NSW coach, having taken over the New Zealand side after a disastrous World Cup campaign in 2017 that ended with a loss to Fiji in the quarter-finals. The former Wests Tigers coach has overseen a resurgence that has yielded a 67 per cent win rate, including victories in seven of the side's last eight matches, ahead of Saturday's Pacific Test match against Samoa.
The 49-year-old signed a contract extension to remain with New Zealand until the end of 2025 and said he's "fully focused" on the Kiwis, despite the NSW State of Origin speculation. "That's what I'm going to be continually talking about and that's my goal at the moment," Maguire said this week.
"I am 100 per cent committed with the boys, we've done a lot of work to get to this point and I don't plan on anything getting in the way of what we're focused on." The NZRL has still yet to publicly confirm whether Maguire could take on the Blues' part-time job while fulfilling commitment to the national side.
Maguire said he had unfinished business with the Kiwis after their semi-final exit from last year's World Cup. He added that despite links to the vacant Blues job, his focus on New Zealand remains unwavering.
"One hundred per cent, I'm going to the (2026) World Cup," Maguire said. "I can assure you now, that's my plan. You've got to be successful as a coach, to be able to go to where we want to get to.
"That is my plan and I want nothing more than to be able to stand with the players and achieve that (World Cup success). I won't lie, it hurt not to be able to do it overseas (at last year's World Cup) and that's the driving factor of where I sit right now."
with AAP
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