THE highly-fancied star-studded Kiwis are promising ‘passion against passion’ when their Rugby League World Cup campaign opens against Lebanon at Warrington Wolves’ Halliwell Jones Stadium on Sunday, kick-off 7.30pm.

New Zealand and Cronulla Sharks winger Ronaldo Mulitalo says standards need to be set in Sunday’s Group C clash.

The winners will likely go on to finish top of the pool and then more than likely avoid a meeting with reigning world champions Australia in the quarter-finals, the stage at which the Kiwis were humiliated by Fiji in the 2017 tournament.

New Zealand and the Cedars have further group games to come against Ireland and Jamaica.

“We want to set a standard for ourselves in the group matches and raise the bar every time,” said Mulitalo, who scored 17 tries in 24 appearances for Cronulla Sharks during the 2022 NRL campaign.

“We’ve got world-class players and outstanding leaders that are going to make sure that that bar is reached every time we get out there.”

Mulitalo and his teammates, six of whom played in the NRL Grand Final less than a fortnight ago, should be wary of the fact previous Kiwis sides have started slowly when they have played their opening World Cup matches in Warrington.

Sonny Bill Williams and co were given a fright by a sterling Samoa comeback at the HJ in 2013, while at Wilderspool Stadium in 1995 it took a last-ditch Matthew Ridge drop goal to see off an underdog Tonga team 25-24.

In each of those campaigns the Kiwis’ hopes were eventually dashed by the Kangaroos, in the final eight years ago and in the semi-finals in the centenary tournament, but the breed led by former Wigan boss Michael McGuire and ex-Wire head coach Steve Price are looking for a better start this time around.

“Every time you pull on a Kiwis jersey it’s going to be special. The coaching staff and everyone back home expect us to do a job. What we can control is our attitude and our willingness to make sure that we reach a standard and hold our standards, that’s the main thing,” said the 22-year-old, who has two Test caps for New Zealand after previously representing Samoa.

“Within camp we know exactly how we’re going to look at these games. We know we’ve got some work to do and hopefully we do a good job through the pool games. We don’t want to get too ahead of ourselves.

“Lebanon are a really talented squad as well. They’ve got Mitchell Moses (Parramatta Eels), Jacob Kiraz (Canterbury Bulldogs) and Adam Doueihi (Wests Tigers) who have been outstanding in the NRL game.

“Coming up against players like that I’m pretty sure they’re passionate about their home country, and I guess come Sunday it’s going to be passion against passion and we’ve just got to make sure that we play to the best of our ability because I’m pretty confident they will come out firing on Sunday.

“Playing at Old Trafford would be a bit of a surreal moment, it would be nice, but before we even think about getting to Old Trafford there’s a bit of work to do.

“There’s no secret that we’ve got a really talented team and a lot of guys who are in form for the world’s best competition.

“But there’s no point in having all the talent and falling short.

“I think for all of us as a group we just want to take it step by step and deal with whatever’s in front of us first.”