Buzz: World Cup-winning Kangaroos are the new All Blacks

State of Origin was the elephant in the room when Mal Meninga took over as coach of the Kangaroos. Phil ‘Buzz’ Rothfield reveals how he turned it around.

Move over All Blacks — there’s a new team of invincibles in world sport.

Australia’s Kangaroos are now a better football outfit than the previously unrivalled All Blacks.

For decades coaches from footy codes around the world have wanted to find out about the magic of the New Zealand rugby side and the culture that makes them so great – then try to copy them.

This year they have lost four games – twice to Ireland, South Africa and Argentina and had a draw with England over the weekend. They’re ranked third in the world rankings after absolutely dominating the standings up until 2019.

If there is now an invincible side in world football it’s Mal Meninga’s Kangaroos.

If there is a culture and DNA you would want to copy it’s this Australian rugby league team.

Such a wonderful sporting outfit with so many great leaders – the likes of Cameron Murray, Isaah Yeo, Nathan Cleary and Patrick Carrigan – who will be ready to step up for the captaincy when Roosters champion James Tedesco retires.

Move over All Blacks — there’s a new team of invincibles in world sport.

Every member of the Kangaroos squad has put aside fierce interstate rivalries to buy into the professionalism, work ethic, culture and commitment that Meninga demands of his footy team.

Hard to believe that only four months ago they almost hated each other during Origin.

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Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Matt Burton had that stink in Origin but have become great mates.

This is all about the green and gold pride that Mal first spoke about so passionately when he started out as the Aussie coach in 2016 after his reign as Queensland’s most successful Origin coach.

I remember sitting down with Mal back in 2016 and hearing of his concern that the Australian jersey had lost its aura.

That the pinnacle of modern-day football was all about State of Origin and wearing the Maroons or Blues jersey ahead of the green and gold.

He started meeting with senior players, the likes of Cameron Smith, Billy Slater and Johnathan Thurston.

“The language around our game was all about State of Origin,” he said.

“He’s with the Blues, he’s with the Maroons. Even the players felt we’d lost the aura of the jersey.

“I explained to them from a personal position, when you finish your career, you look back and know you were the very best player of your time in your position from your Australian jerseys.

“It’s got to be that we all love the game, we love the jersey and we don’t want to let our mates down.”

From there the Kangaroos have delivered big time.

They have gone through this tournament unbeaten in second and third gears.

There was some ring rust to be removed because the team hadn’t played since 2019.

Then the Kangaroos opened up to full throttle in the first half of the Cup final against Samoa at Old Trafford on Sunday morning and blew them off the park.

Unwanted NSW players Josh Addo-Carr, Reagan Campbell-Gillard and Jack Wighton were outstanding.

It is a huge reward for big Mal and this unit he has built.

It’s never easy to mould a team of superstars and egos into such a powerfully-bonded squad.

Mal will never be the sharpest tactical coach in rugby league.

Yet there is no one who can pull a squad together in the manner in which he has.

They say the mood and the camaraderie on this seven-week tour has been exactly what Mal spoke about around his expectations in that interview six years ago.

Originally published as Buzz: World Cup-winning Kangaroos are the new All Blacks