Ahead of the World Cup final, Jamayne Isaako can't miss

As New Zealand's Jamayne Isaako lined up his conversion attempts in the World Cup semifinal against Tonga, he did so in the middle of a hurricane while it was raining sideways.The Kiwi winger is one of rugby league's best goal-kickers, but even he admits the horrific weather took things away from him in Newcastle."I had no idea where I was aiming the ball," Isaako said.But despite the conditions, Isaako kept slotting them — into the wind in the first half and bending them through like a boomerang in the second because right now, Jamayne Isaako can't miss.His last kick from the sideline, when he hung the ball miles outside the right upright only for it to turn harder than even legendary New Zealand spin bowler Daniel Vettori ever managed, and go through with all his teammates there to celebrate, was his favourite, as the Kiwis stormed into the World Cup final with a 34-10 victory."I knew if I aimed it right, the shape would bring it back around, but I had no idea where they were going," Isaako said."I have a massive hook in my kick, so I aim a bit more right than most kickers, but I was just happy I got them."Particularly the last one, with all the boys behind me."With the rugby league year ending after Sunday night's World Cup final, Isaako is about to finish one of the greatest-scoring seasons in the game's history.Isaako's kicking, in atrocious conditions, was typically excellent in the semifinal win over Tonga. (Getty Images: Darrian Traynor)He was the NRL's top scorer in 2026, becoming just the fourth player ever to pass 300 points with his final total of 310 the third-highest single-season mark in league history.Throw in a prolific and accurate World Cup campaign, in which he's kicked 36 goals from 38 attempts and scored personal hauls of 38 points against the Cook Islands and 26 against Fiji, and his total stat line for the season is 30 games, 26 tries and 145 goals at an 86.3 per cent success rate for a total of 394 points.With New Zealand needing every edge they can find against Australia if they're to claim their second World Cup, Isaako's kicking form could prove crucial.Between Cameron Munster, Reece Walsh and Kotoni Staggs, the Kangaroos have no shortage of kicking options for the final, but none of them are in Isaako's class.Isaako's kicking could provide an edge for New Zealand in the World Cup final. (Getty Images: Bradley Kanaris)Staggs and Walsh have never spent a club season as a primary goal-kicker, while Munster, who took the tee in the semifinal win over Samoa and kicked six from eight, has a career success rate of 58.02 per cent.Isaako, by contrast, has long been one of the NRL's elite boots and is in the kicking form of his life."This year has probably been the best for kicking for me," Isaako said."I've worked on it a lot, the last two years especially. The game is only getting quicker and if there's more tries, the two points add up quickly."It's something I pride myself on."Isaako has worked closely with the legendary Daryl Halligan in the Kiwis camp each of the past four seasons, and the kicking guru likens his hook on the ball to Johnathan Thurston's.Isaako was the NRL's leading pointscorer in 2026 for the third time in his career. (Getty Images: Bradley Kanaris)Like everyone else of a black-and-white persuasion, Halligan enjoyed Isaako's circus kicks to finish the semifinal but nominated his two strikes in the opening stanza, which gave New Zealand a crucial 12-10 half-time lead after running into the gale, as his most impressive."His first two kicks into the breeze in the first half were his best and he could have a bit of fun with the ones at the end when there was a bit less pressure," Halligan said."Jamayne is pretty similar to JT in a way with that curve. He's a buoyant guy like JT, even if he doesn't have the laugh."Isaako credits Halligan with simplifying his kicking approach and while Halligan is quick to direct credit back to the Melbourne-bound winger, he isn't surprised to see the 30-year-old's accuracy improved as he's aged."There's not a lot of hard coaching this time of year, you're not going to change much and there's not much that needs to be changed," Halligan said."But goal-kickers get better as they get older. Why wouldn't they? They've ironed out the things they can do better."He makes good contact and puts a lot of work into his details. He knows where he's heading with it."The wind can play a factor if you want it to, but it won't change what he wants because he knows where it has to go."History could beckon for Isaako on Sunday night in more ways than one.He's currently level with Shaun Johnson on 225 points as New Zealand's all-time highest Test pointscorer and is all but certain to take outright possession of the record in the World Cup final.But Isaako would give every one of them back in a second if it would mean a Kiwi victory.The Christchurch man is of Samoan descent and played one Test for the Toa in 2019 but has represented New Zealand ever since because of how the country changed his family's life, a debt he feels he can never repay."New Zealand is where I was born and raised, and I choose the black jersey because New Zealand gave my family an opportunity, like a lot of the Pacific Island boys in this team," Isaako said."To win a World Cup would be a dream come true. We know what it meant to the old boys who were there in 2008, we've been fortunate enough to have a few of them come into camp and tell us their story."Whenever we're able to represent the black jersey, it's an honour and a privilege and for a lot of us, it's the pinnacle."It would be huge for us as players to win, but more for our country."