Graham Lowe: Stand by for the GBH

Fire and brimstone in test footy. We all love it and I'm expecting it from this Great Britain team who look a bit like they are from the old school and give me the impression they want to set the record straight.

There's a tendency to disrespect Great Britain teams because of the perceived standard of football in their Super League. The league game was born in England and many argue that internationally it has already died there.

But I rate this mob highly. This Lions outfit has class.

For the first time in years they look as though they have the goods but the Kiwis also have a pack capable of defending their position at Jade Stadium which, although more used to hosting the kick and clap game, is an ideal venue for the fireworks tomorrow night.

The Kiwis are in a desperate situation and must be prepared for anything and this could be a boilover in the opening minutes.

Despite what they might say publicly, Kiwis coach Brian McClennan and Great Britain's Brian Noble will not discourage their forwards from trying to gain an advantage with intimidation, and I don't mean poking their tongues out at each other.

For the Kiwis, much depends on how they have recovered from last Saturday night's killer blow in the dying minutes against Australia.

The Kiwis were beaten by individual brilliance. As a team they outplayed Australia but didn't get the result.

I know the easy part of coaching a footy side is preparing your team to beat another. You look at the opposition, have a fair idea what to expect, and how it can be countered. I also know the most difficult and heart-breaking side of the job is dealing with the individual brilliance your team may encounter.

All you can do is try to reduce the damage of that brilliance.

Players like Australia's skipper, Darren Lockyer, and his teenage superstar team-mate Greg Inglis, are so good that no matter what defence you put in front of them it may not be enough. They can see opportunities other players can't and also the time to take advantage of what they see.

Inglis will beat many more top international players just as easily as he beat Brent Webb and Shontayne Hape, they don't need to beat themselves up.

That scorching try to Inglis off the brilliant Lockyer pass grew the green and golds another leg and at that stage I knew we were gone.

As a coach, when you are up against these players you hope their effect on the game is going to be minimal, but you are so often left with your heart in your mouth and your head in your hands.

I prayed hard at times during my coaching career, although more often than not the god of coaches seemed to ignore my pleas - except for one memorable occasion in 1984.

Current Great Britain coach Noble was the hooker and captain of the 1984 Pommies who toured Australia and New Zealand. His team-mate Ellery Henry was a world-class centre or five-eighth, but the-then Great Britain coach Frank Myler played Hanley out of position on the wing against Australia.

I fancied our chances against Great Britain - if Hanley stayed in that position.

During the press conference at the Sydney Cricket Ground following the third test in Australia, I was asked what I thought was Great Britain's biggest danger for the Kiwis.

I replied (tongue firmly in cheek) I thought Hanley was the best winger I'd ever seen. My prayers were answered for the first two tests and we won.

Myler changed tactics for the third test and played Hanley at centre. Although we eventually won that test as well, shifting their best player back to his more accustomed position nearly cost us the game. He was brilliant.

Noble is now one of the most experienced coaches in the game and also one of the smartest. His best players will not be out of position.

And that brings me back to my earlier point about underestimating this Great Britain team. They will be the surprise packet of the series because of the disrespect they are shown by many in the NRL when it comes to comparing standards in the Super League.

It's football suicide to think this Pommie team come from a weaker competition. The disrespect that many commentators, club officials, players and fans from New Zealand and Australia have shown the British game could provide the springboard to Pommie success.

They have a strong forward pack and a good attacking back line.

While Willie Mason has dominated many of the headlines, the Poms have a couple of their own quite capable of making their presence felt.

Stuart Fielden is 112kg, extremely mobile for a front rower. He likes to play the full 80 minutes, although I'd expect that to be too big an ask in the intensity of tomorrow night's game.

Front-rower Adrian Morley might be lacking in match condition after sitting out a 10-week suspension, but he will be out to make a huge mark on the game.

However, the Great Britain halves are the biggest threats to the Kiwis. Danny McGuire and Sean Long are specialist, live-wire players in their positions and capable of creating something out of nothing. Like Lockyer and Inglis, all you can do is reduce their options.

The Kiwis have their own point to prove after getting hammered in the one-off game against Great Britain in June when we were not at full strength and, I believe, took the game far too lightly.

The Kiwis have not had a win since and these Tri-Nations games won't get any easier.

McClennan has every right to feel shattered after last Saturday's loss, because for most of the game his team outplayed Australia. It was a great improvement on the first Tri-Nations game where the Kiwis looked lost in attack and disorganised in defence.

But now it's a new kettle of fish for Bluey and a canny Noble will make sure the task is no easier.

Noble will have noticed the Kiwis have had problems reading the second-man plays by Australia. This to me was the most obvious chink in New Zealand's defensive armour last Saturday night.

The Kiwis can expect the same tactic from the Lions tomorrow and some blood and thunder.