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MANCHESTER - New Zealand halfback Thomas Leuluai has called for the Kiwis to shoulder up as they aim to stop the rot in the final test against Great Britain on Sunday (NZT).
The Kiwis are looking to avoid a series whitewash in Wigan after losing the first test
20-14 and suffering a 44-0 defeat in the second test last week.
The tourists are also looking to ease the pressure on coach Gary Kemble, whose first game in charge was a 58-0 hammering by Australia in Wellington last month.
Leuluai insists he is fully behind the under-fire Kiwis coach and is confident his inexperienced side can bow out of Britain with a bang.
"The boys are desperate to win," he said. "We want to silence a few critics and get people off the backs of Gary and (NZRL chairman) Andrew Chalmers.
"Gary's been around rugby league a long time and he knows this is what happens, but everything that's been written is going to be tomorrow's fish-and-chip paper.
"We've got to take the blame for the results too. I believe he's doing his best and I'm 100 per cent behind him.
"We're all disappointed with how it's gone, but we can sit and dwell on it or keep our heads up, try to enjoy ourselves and do it for the country this week."
Leuluai has been impressed by the squad's response after an inept defensive performance saw them leak eight tries in Hull last week.
British forwards Jamie Peacock, Adrian Morley and Gareth Ellis ran the Kiwis ragged and Leuluai believes they must turn the final test into a "bash-a-thon" if they are to snuff out the British threat.
"After a disappointing week, things could have turned," he said. "The guys could have gone their separate ways but we've had a good talk and stuck together.
"We've talked about having pride in the jersey and about attitude because defence is all about attitude. If you're in the right frame of mind when you're tackling, you generally come out on top.
"Peacock, Morley and Ellis just murdered us last week, having four people in a tackle and off-loading or getting up for quick play-the-ball. When you've got four in there you should dominate your player and if we get that right, I think we'll rip into them.
"Just look at Peacock's opening try, he smashed through us, so we need to stiffen up that middle, invite them to come at us and turn it into a bash-a-thon.
"You've got to win that ruck for anyone to get forward and for the halves to do their job.
"We were losing it so much last weekend we were always on the back foot. Every time we tried to shift the ball they nullified it because they were set and ready.
"Good players like Stacey Jones can get you out of it but there's no Stacey in this team."
Leuluai looks set to miss out on representing his country on his club ground as he is struggling to overcome a corked thigh, so Jeremy Smith has been put on standby.
"I really want to play this week," said Leuluai. "I've enjoyed playing there with Wigan.
"We had some good wins there towards the end of the season and the fans were awesome.
"Hopefully I'll get the same reception in black and white as I do in red and white."
- NZPA