Kiwis class of ’05 revel in their record tumbling

Being relegated in the history books never felt better.

As the scoreboard ran up and the clock ticked down on Saturday night in Hamilton, former Kiwis Stacey Jones, Motu Tony and David Solomona became increasingly hopeful that they would soon no longer be members of the side that produced New Zealand’s equal-biggest ever win over Australia.

They got their wish as the 2023 edition of the Kiwis powered to a 30-0 shutout of the Kangaroos in the Pacific Championships final, which eclipsed the 24-0 trans-Tasman boilover the trio helped orchestrate back in 2005.

The remarkable result at FMG Stadium Waikato was not only New Zealand’s biggest ever win over Australia, but also marked the heaviest Test defeat the Kangaroos have suffered in the game’s 115-year history.

Solomona, a mercurial back-rower who came from relative obscurity to be a key contributor in that famous win 18 years ago, watched on from the sideline this time in his role as a wellbeing officer with the Kiwi side and told NRL.com it was an honour to see the record fall.

“I could watch that record be broken every year,” Solomona said.

“It was nice being a player doing it, and while it’s a different feeling now on the staff, I am immensely proud.

“I wasn’t even thinking about it at first during the game, but I was standing next to Dickie [Kiwis media manager Richard Becht] and all he talks about are stats. He rattled off the 2005 stat to me and I was so happy.”

While a 36-18 hammering at the hands of Australia a week prior had made the Kiwis heavy underdogs heading into the decider on Saturday, Tony, the hooker of the 2005 side who now heads up the high performance program at the New Zealand Rugby League, felt during the week that something special was brewing.

Post-match five-eighth Dylan Brown confirmed that’s exactly what the players felt too, while saying they also took inspiration from coach Michael ‘Madge’ Maguire appearing to thrive with his back firmly against the wall.

“We spoke about it during the week… we knew we were going to win,” Brown told NRL.com.

“We had a lot of belief and we weren’t shying away from it.

Madge enjoys that situation too, he enjoys the pressure. He spoke to us about walking towards that pressure.

Dylan Brown

Pacing the field in the minutes after full-time, legendary former Kiwis halfback Stacey Jones – who came out of international retirement to lead the side to the 2005 result – relished experiencing the latest win with his old teammates.

Now an assistant on Maguire’s staff, Jones said from his experience the players involved in the squad would come to appreciate the achievement even more with time.

“The 2005 group are all still in contact. That’s what this group will do too, they’ll be friends for the rest of their lives,” Jones said.

“They worked hard together; they showed such steel to keep a quality side to nil.

“I am just so happy for them. I’m so proud to be a Kiwi.”