League: GB coach hints at changes for Kiwis test

1.00pm - By ROBERT LOWE

WIGAN, ENGLAND - Great Britain rugby league coach Brian Noble has hinted at possible changes to his side to play New Zealand in a Tri-Nations test at Hull next weekend that will have no bearing on the title's destination.

The Lions won the right to join Australia in the final in Leeds on November 27 thanks to their gutsy 24-12 win over the world champions at Wigan last night.

It was their second victory of the tournament, following their 22-12 defeat of New Zealand at Huddersfield the previous weekend and their last-gasp 12-8 loss to the Kangaroos in Manchester seven days earlier.

Noble has so far kept his starting 13 largely intact, making just one change over the three matches.

However, he raised the possibility that there might a different face or two in the Lions' ranks at KC Stadium.

"There are probably some people who deserve a chance," he said.

"Those people coming in may enthuse us for this game."

Noble balanced that by saying it had been some time since Great Britain secured back-to-back wins and it was important to keep the momentum going.

While the match against the Kiwis next Saturday was a dead rubber, it was still a test.

"We've haven't won that many over the last few years and we've now won two on the bounce -- and probably should have won the first one as well, or at least had a share of the spoils," Noble said.

"I'm not frightened to use our young men and put them into the team, but it's a test jumper and we're not giving test jumpers away. If they've earned them, they will get them."

Injuries and illness could be a factor, with hooker Terry Newton, centre Martin Gleeson and substitute forward Ryan Bailey picking up knocks against the Kangaroos.

"We were trying to mix and match towards the back end of the game and I was glad we had a few more changes up our sleeve," Noble said.

"We're a little bit busted, but our hearts are fine. We won a match we wanted to win."

He added that the British camp were still trying to rid themselves of the gastic virus that had affected them for the past three weeks, as well as bouts of the flu.

Fullback Paul Wellens and substitute Gareth Ellis were unable to complete the final practice session in the build-up to the Wigan test and were sent home.

Former Welsh rugby international Iestyn Harris was ruled out after being struck down earlier in the week, while prop Stuart Fielden couldn't attend any of the trainings.

The flu forced halfback Sean Long and Gleeson to miss the Thursday session.

"We have to get rid of this bug," Noble said.

"It's terribly disruptive. Hopefully we've seen the last traces of it, but you never know whether it's going to keep rearing its ugly head."

The Kiwis, who had the weekend off after their win over France in a one-off test at Carcassonne, begin their preparations in earnest tomorrow for their final match of the year.

Coach Daniel Anderson said the New Zealanders would be fully focused on finishing on a winning note, despite the disappointment of not making the final.

"We haven't shirked any commitment or effort in the whole of the Tri-Nations," he said.

"We will let ourselves and the jersey down if we start next week.'

- NZPA