After a disastrous year that has seen them fall to a heavy loss against bitter rivals Australia and suffer an embarrasing whitewash in the test series against Great Britain, the New Zealand players, officials and supporters will be hopings they can get their international ambitions back on track in time for the World Cup.

The sport of rugby league has historically struggled to maintain a foothold in New Zealand but recently the sport has enjoyed an increase in popularity and this famous sporting nation continues to produce more than it's fair share of world class talent. The origins of the game can be traced back many years, indeed the historic All Golds tour was celebrated last October when Warrington played host to the Centenary International.

Domestically the game must compete with the huge popularity of rugby union and the All Blacks but the signs for the future are promsing. The Bartercard Cup is the country's premier rugby league competion, whilst the New Zealand Warriors have firmly established themselves as one of the top teams in the NRL..

With a new coach at the helm and some of the most exciting players in the game today to call on, hopes are high that New Zealand can put a torrid twelve months behind them and confirm their position as one of the major players in the international arena by the time the World Cup comes around.

Road to the World Cup

New Zealand, along with France, Great Britain, Australia and Papua New Guinea, were given automatic entry into the 2008 World Cup as they were the original nations that previously competed in the tournament between 1954 and 1992.

The top four ranked sides have been grouped together in Pool 1 with New Zealand facing England, Papau New Guinea and bitter rivals Australia. The top three from the group will all qualify for the knock out stages along with the winner of the qualifying semi-final.

World Cup history

New Zealand, along with Australia and Great Britain, have been ever present in the tournament since the World Cup came into being, however the Kiwis have failed to live up to expectations in the international arena so far and the second placed finish in 2000 is their best performance to date.

The Kiwis World Cup experiences didn't get off to the best of starts when, in France 1954, they finished bottom of the group having lost all three games and, despite picking up their first World Cup victory over Great Britain, things didn't get much better in 1957 when they finished third after losses to Australia and France.

The 1960 World Cup, staged in England, again saw the Kiwis finish in third position after losses against Australia and Great Britain although they did sneak past France 9-0 at Central Park. The 1968 tournament, staged partly on home soil, proved to be major disappointment as the Kiwis once again lost all three matches to finsh bottom of the group. A poor performance led to defeat against France in Auckland.

A heavy loss against Australia in 1970 ensured that New Zealand ended the tournament in last position again, despite overcoming France 16-15 at The Boulevard in Hull. The 1972 competition, staged in France, saw yet another poor showing from New Zealand as they lost all three matches, including a heavy defeat against Great Britain, and again finished bottom of the group.

Another disappointing showing followed in 1975 as the Kiwis finished fourth in the five team group, picking up just two wins from eight matches and finshing below Wales following a surprise 25-24 loss in Swansea. They did manage a slight improvement in 1977, finishing in third spot thanks to a 28-20 victory over France in Auckland. However, comfortable victories for both Australia and Great Britain on New Zealand terriroy summed up the gulf in class once again.

Things improved during the 1985-1988 tournament as the Kiwis, after an opening round win over the Kangaroos, finished in second position in the group and set up a final showdown against Australia. The final, staged in Auckland and drawing a crowd of almost 50,000, saw the home side put up a brave fight before falling to a 25-12 defeat against their dominant rivals. The 1989-1992 tournament saw the Kiwis suffer two losses against Australia, including a comprehensive 40-12 defeat in Brisbane, which meant that despite finishing level on points with Great Britain they missed out on a final spot on points difference.

The 1995 tournament saw New Zealand top group two after victory over Papau New Guinea and a narrow defeat of Tonga however they were eliminated in the semi finals by eventual winners Australia, the Kiwis going down 30-20 in Huddersfield.

The Kiwis finally proved they posess the talent to challenge at the highest level in 2000. They finished top of their group after crushing defeats of Wales, Lebanon and the Cook Islands and comfortably dispatched France 54-6 in the quarter finals. A hugely impressive performance in the semi final accounted for England, the Stacey Jones inspired Kiwis running out 49-6 winners at the Reebok Stadium, setting up a dream final with Australia. However, it was not to be as the Kangaroo's lifted the trophy at Old Trafford thanks to a 40-12 victory, the scoreline flattering the winners somewhat after four late tries as the Kiwis tired.

Head Coach

Hopes are high that former Kiwi captain Stephen Kearney is the man to restore pride in the New Zealand jersey, following the much troubled tenure of Gary Kemble. Kearney will be just 36 years old by the time the World Cup starts and, with a notable lack of senior coaching experience, doubts have already been raised about his suitability for the role. However, the former Hull FC forward will be able to call on the wisdom of legendary Australian coach Wayne Bennett, who has agreed to act in an advisory capacity.

The Kiwi players, who made no secret of their dislike for Kemble and his methods, are understood to be delighted with Kearney's appointment and there is a genuine belief that the Melbourne Storm assistant coach can bring the good times back to New Zealand rugby league.

Players to watch

Kiwi captain Roy Asotasi is widely regarded as the best prop forward in the world and rightly so. The South Sydney Rabbitohs front row has been in impressive form for club and country and, having been one of the biggest critics of Gary Kemble's reign, he has offered his full support to the Kiwi's new coach Stephen Kearney. Asotasi's blockbusting runs, skilfull offloads, mobility on the field and monster defence mark him out as a perfect example of the modern day prop and he is sure to make a major impact come World Cup time.

Canterbury Bulldogs star Sonny Bill Williams is a truly world class individual; his range of offloads and fearsome shoulder charges have sent shockwaves through the NRL since he burst onto the scene as 18 year old. The supremely talented second row or loose forward is fast establishing himself as the ultimate gamebreaker. His international career so far has been scuppered by injury but his club form during 2007 reinforced his repuatation as one of the most naturally gifted players in the game today.