Kiwis look to avenge embarrassing Cup loss

Stung by their premature exit at the hands of Fiji at the last Rugby League World Cup, New Zealand aim to be at their defensive best against the Bati in their quarter-final showdown.

The group C winners face group B runners-up Fiji on Saturday (Sunday AEDT) in Hull in a sudden-death affair with the Kiwis eager to avenge a dark mark on their proud history.

At the same stage in the 2017 tournament the Fijians shocked the Kiwis in Wellington with a 4-2 victory to send the home side packing.

With eight players remaining from that Kiwis squad, hooker Brandon Smith, who didn't play, said his team were determined not to stumble again.

He felt they were improving with each match as their side became more settled.

Halfback Jahrome Hughes made his first appearance after overcoming a thigh strain, allowing the Kiwis to field their first choice spine for the first time as they trounced Ireland 48-10 in their final group game.

"We've been a bit scrappy, but we haven't really had all the team together for those three games," Smith said.

"There's been chopping and changing through the positions, finding our best team.

"But our defence is working really well and that's what wins the big games, so hopefully we can strap the shoulders on against Fiji and have a good defensive mindset."

Smith was looking forward to testing himself against Api Koroisau, noting his rival took home the Dally M Hooker of the Year award.

Smith felt the Kiwis' performance against Ireland was better than the scoreline suggested.

He said there were areas they could improve - notably their goal-kicking.

Against Ireland the kickers - Jordan Rapana and Dylan Brown - made just four from 10 attempts.

"I thought it was sweet, the score didn't reflect the game as much as it should have," Smith said.

"I guess we gave them two easy tries, but we've got terrible kickers in our team and I think we missed about six or seven.

"The score could have been a lot better, but we've got to find a better kicker than Dyl (Dylan Brown), Dyl sucked."

While Smith's comments were tongue-in-cheek coach Michael Maguire has failed to settle on a goal-kicker so far using Brown, Rapana, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Kieran Foran with no star candidates.

But Smith won't be putting up his hand.

"I'm doing too much other things, I've been doing everything around here," the Sydney Roosters recruit said.

The Kiwis will be without Jared Waerea-Hargreaves for the quarter-final after he received a one-match suspension for a high tackle in the Ireland match.