The Kiwis have vowed to unleash try-scoring weapon Casey McLean as they chase victory in Sunday’s Pacific Cup final.
The 19-year-old has scored seven tries from three international appearances and is preparing to return to the scene of a memorable international debut 12 months ago.
McLean scored four tries in the Kiwis’ win over Papua New Guinea last year, with the focus now turning to toppling Samoa at a sold-out CommBank Stadium on Sunday.
The winger will line up alongside veteran Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad on the left edge, with the centre confident McLean will thrive in a high-pressure situation.
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Casey McLean scores four tries on Kiwis debut
“The way he backs himself is impressive,” Nicoll-Klokstad said. “He’s a kid that’s got a lot of talent, he’s still very young in his international career and he’s doubled his games [with tries].
“He’ll have a long time in the black and white jersey and he’s only going to get better and better.”
McLean’s strike rate throughout the first three games of his New Zealand career rates him alongside some of the game’s try-scoring greats, according to stats compiled by rugby league historian David Middleton.
Hugh McGahan scored eight in three Tests, courtesy of a six-try performance against Papua New Guinea in his third Kiwi outing in 1983.
The forward went scoreless in his fourth match, meaning McLean can leapfrog the former Kiwi with a double on Sunday afternoon.
Kangaroos legends Reg Gasnier and Willie Carne also scored eight in their first four Test matches, with Ian Schubert, Billy Slater and Josh Addo-Carr scoring seven.
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Casey McLean Try
McLean turned plenty of heads with four tries on debut last season, but coach Stacey Jones has been most pleased with his development throughout the Kiwis 2025 Pacific Championships campaign.
“When he first came into camp I didn’t realise he was 18 years old,” Jones said. “He was really impressive. You’ve got to take your hat off to what they do at Penrith, the way they produce these players.
“He’s 19 years old but he doesn’t hold back on anything. He’s very productive in everything we do, whether it’s a meeting or on the training field. He’s not overconfident but he’s confident in himself.”
McLean’s development has triggered plenty of excitement among New Zealand fans as they look to make a statement leading into next year’s World Cup.
The winger is one of a number of talented youngsters that Jones has developed, with Keano Kini and Naufahu Whyte also impressing since making their debuts last season.
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Keano Kini Try
Having worked closely with McLean throughout the past few weeks, Nicoll-Klokstad said the challenge now is to take his game to the next level.
“It’s still early days for Casey,” Nicoll-Klokstad said. “For such a young kid he’s got a good head on his shoulders and that’s a credit to his parents and family and the ones around him keeping him humbled and grounded.
“But he also wants to be the best at whatever he does, so that’s a really good kid to be around.”
Leading Kiwis Try Scorers after four Tests
- McGahan 8
- McLean 7*
- Tuivasa-Sheck 6
- Nigel Vagana 6
- Jellick 6
- Kevin Iro 6
Leading Kangaroos Try Scorers after four Tests
- Reg Gasnier 8
- Willie Carne 8
- Ian Schubert 7
- Billy Slater 7
- Josh Addo-Carr 7
