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Live sport on SN this weekend‘No regrets’: Kiwis urged to leave everything on the field
Sport Nation • November 13th, 2026 11:17 am
Adam Blair | Photo: Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
Kiwis assistant coach Adam Blair has challenged New Zealand players to give everything for one another in their World Cup final against the Kangaroos.
Blair, a former 51-Test Kiwi himself, said the final was the last game of the season for many of the players and a chance to finish on a high after around 30 weekends of putting their bodies on the line.
“The biggest thing is no regrets,” Blair told Sport Nation's Millsy & Guy on Thursday.
“You don’t want to come off the field thinking ‘what if?’ You want to leave everything on the field that you have in the tank, put your body on the line for your brothers and do whatever it takes to win this game.”
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He said if the players gave their best individually and as a group, they could take satisfaction from their effort whatever the result, but also celebrate if that effort brought them a win.
"If your best is your best, and that's what you're doing and comes away with a win, then the boys will be celebrating high and loud all night through to the morning.”
Blair described New Zealand’s loss to Australia in the World Cup opener as “most probably one that got away”, but said the team would still have identified areas to improve even if it had won.
Adam Blair trains with the Kiwis | Photo: @nzrugbyleague/Instagram
The focus now, he said, was on returning to what works for the Kiwis, addressing small areas for improvement and building momentum.
“This game is won on defence,” Blair explained. “There are going to be moments where you have to chase someone down and make a last-ditch tackle - your Reece Walshes, your Turbos (Tom Trbojevic), all those boys."
Listen to the full interview below:
