Homecoming parade to savour has Jamayne primed for Bati

Fellow Christchurch-born Kiwis star Tanner Stowers-Smith may have edged him in the headlines department with a stunning two-try Test debut off the bench but Jamayne Isaako also penned a remarkable homecoming script in the 82-16 win over Cook Islands.  

The wing veteran shattered New Zealand’s record for most points in a Test match, scoring three tries and nailing 13 of 14 conversion attempts for a 38-point haul.  

Isaako’s spree overtook the 32 points scored by former Melbourne playmaker Tasesa Lavea – also achieved in a Rugby League World Cup pool game against Cook Islands, back in 2000.  

“It's a very proud moment,” Isaako said.  

“Stacey touched on it there in the changing rooms, but I don't really play the games for those accolades... I guess it helps being a tryscoring winger and kicking the goals.” 

A new single-Test pointscoring mark is not the only impression Isaako – who this year became only the fourth player in NRL history to score 300 points in a season – is making on the Kiwis’ record books at this tournament.  

The sharpshooter has now leapfrogged Jones and Matthew Ridge into second place on New Zealand’s all-time Test register. Stacking up 189 points in just 16 Tests, Isaako only has Shaun Johnson (225) still ahead of him.  

But Isaako’s primary buzz last week came from getting to represent his country in front of loved ones in the city where his rugby league journey began.  

The Kiwis’ preparations last week kicked off with a training session at his local park in Christchurch’s eastern suburbs.  

“It means everything, not too many games get to be brought back here to Christchurch,” he said.

“Playing for the Kiwis is such an honour and a privilege for myself, so coming back here and playing in front of family and friends, it's a moment that I'll always cherish. 

“Going back to Wainoni Park in the week leading up to the game, that's basically where it all started. I used to go down there after school whenever I had any downtime to practise my goalkicking.” 

The 30-year-old played his junior football for Aranui Eagles before moving to Sydney as a 17-year-old to join Cronulla’s NYC squad in 2014.  

His former club, now known as Eastern Eagles, won its first Canterbury Rugby League premiership grand final since 1981 in August – and the stalwarts were in full voice for their favourite son under the roof at a sold-out One New Zealand Stadium.  

“Being out on the wing, you tend to hear the crowd a bit more... there was a fair few ‘East!’ calls coming out my way and obviously when I was goalkicking. 

“I got to see some family after the game there in the stands. A lot of people in Eastern jerseys. I'm just glad that I'm able to represent them, represent my community of Aranui and do them proud.” 

Burgeoning front-rower Stowers-Smith, a product of the Halswell Hornets club on the south-western outskirts of Christchurch, revealed post-match that he and Isaako are cousins.  

“Tanner was the first person I walked to in the changing rooms after the game,” Isaako said.  

“Being able to get a debut, especially back here at home, and get to play in front of his family... he's crossed the line for two tries, so yeah, just very proud of him. Not only as a teammate, but a cousin as well.” 

Despite an emphatic final scoreline, the Kiwis were given an early scare by Cook Islands. 

A spectacular eight-minute hat-trick to winger Esom Ioka gave the underdogs a 16-12 lead, before the Kiwis wrestled back the ascendancy with four tries prior to half-time and piled on another eight unanswered tries in the second stanza.  

“It was a bit worrying, that first 20 minutes,” Isaako said. 

“I think we got a little bit too excited and tried to play expansive football. Whereas in these games you've got to deal with fatigue and kind of get into a cycle and build that fatigue through the middle. 

“So we probably didn't earn the right to play out the back – and to the Kukis’ credit, they read a few of our backdoor plays and got a few intercept tries. I guess it's probably just the mentality thing and making sure that we stick to our script and to our game plan.” 

A similar lapse this weekend could prove fatal to the Kiwis’ compelling bid for a second World Cup title.  

New Zealand’s pool campaign wraps up with what is effectively a sudden-death shootout for a semi-final berth against a Fiji side that made the rugby league world sit up and take notice in a valiant 36-22 loss to Australia. 

After being sensationally dumped out of the 2017 World Cup by Fiji 4-2 in a Wellington quarter-final and getting out of jail with a 24-18 result against the Bati in the same stage of the 2022 tournament at Hull, the Kiwis are under no illusions about the task ahead of them.  

“Fiji is an exciting side,” Isaako said.

“For us, we probably need to just worry more about ourselves, get our bodies right. It's a short turnaround heading to the Gold Coast. 

“In order for us to get ourselves right, we need to just focus on our preparation, our recovery.” 

Though he debuted for New Zealand during his 2018 Dally M Rookie of the Year season with Brisbane, this is Isaako’s first World Cup.

His stint at the Broncos stalled in 2022 and he switched to the Titans mid-year, before resurrecting his career as a foundation Dolphin – including a Kiwis recall for their 2023 Pacific Championships triumph after a four-year international hiatus.

Isaako has developed into something of an ironman in recent years; he played all 98 of the Dolphins’ matches in their first four seasons and is now gearing up for his 12th consecutive Test appearance for New Zealand.  

That durability is a valuable commodity in a Kiwis squad boasting with a platoon of elite middle forwards but light on outside-back cover. Isaako is adamant he’s in no mood for a rest, despite coming off his longest-ever NRL season.  

“I'll keep putting my hand up as long as I'm injury-free," he said.

“Touch wood, but you never know when it's your last game in this jersey. So for me, mate, I'll bleed to go out there and play for the boys and the black jumper representing New Zealand.” 

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