GB LOST

KC · BARGAIN BUCKET Male Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 3709

A magnificent first-half try by Brent Webb helped New Zealand to a bruising victory over the Lions as they got their campaign back on track.

The Kiwis lost their opening two clashes to Australia but tries from Webb, Motu Tony and Iosia Soliola set them on their way before late tries by Paul Wellens and Gareth Ellis gave the scoreline a more realistic look and, more importantly, boosted the visitors' points difference.

Webb's try shone out in an evenly-matched first 40 minutes as first the Lions prospered before the hosts slowly came into the game.

Adrian Morley set the tome with crunching hit on Ruben Wiki and it looked, for a moment, that the Sydney Roosters forward may be dismissed before being placed on report for a marginally high tackle in just the third minute.

The Lions got off the mark after Jerome Ropati was penalised for flopping onto a completed tackle on Morley which allowed Sean Long to land a goal on 12 minutes - just his second successful kick all season with Jamie Lyon taking the kicking duties for St Helens this year.

The first real tryscoring chance came for Martin Gleeson approaching the end of the first quarter but he was stopped short of the line and then the visitors slowly went off the boil.

The try came in the 27th minute when Gleeson kicked poorly inside but nobody could have expected what was to follow.

Webb, just 10 yards in front of his own line, danced round Danny McGuire, brushed off a weak tackle by Brian Carney and set off for the line.

Long slid in and missed as the full-back went in under the sticks for his seventh international try and Stacey Jones added the extras.

The rest of the half saw the Kiwis dominate but the scoreline remained the same and the Lions ended the first period on a high after a superb piece of running rugby inspired by a huge hit by Lee Gilmour on Ropati.

Noble's men continued that momentum but were thwarted again by the home defence and were then denied by the officials as McGuire was denied what looked like a penalty try.

After brilliant work by Leon Pryce the Leeds playmaker had the ball knocked out of his hands by Webb as he prepared to touch down.

Then, after 54 minutes, the sceond try followed and crucially it went to New Zealand.

After two fine tackles by Keith Senior Motu Tony crashed over for his third international try after excellent work by Jones and the Hull man went in under the posts.

Morley was fortunate to stay on the field after directing a frustrated punch at Webb following a tackle on the full-back but the referee gave him the benefit of the doubt again.

Soliola sealed the win after 66 minutes when a Jones kick was half charged down and Ellis only succeeded in flicking the ball back to Frank Pritchard who fed Web who in turn sent the centre in.

The Lions finally crossed on 74 minutes when Wellens pounced on a chip through by McGuire and, with David Kidwell out of position, went over for his first try since his debut in 2001.

A second followed in the dying seconds when Long collected his own kick and Pryce fed Ellis for his first international touchdown but it was too late to affect the result.

Next week brings the unbeaten Kangaroos and the Lions will be hoping that their finishing and attacking play will be better with this game under their belt.

New Zealand (6) 18.
Tries: Webb, Tony, Soliola.
Goals: Jones 3.

Great Britain (2) 14.
Tries: Wellens, Ellis.
Goals: Long 2, McGuire.

Brent Webb coming to the Rhinos

Next season gona be a good player for us I reckon!