KEY POINTS:
Kiwis 34 Great Britain 4
The Kiwis have done all they can to keep their Tri-Nations rugby league title defence alive, mauling a luckless Great Britain 34-4 at Westpac Stadium tonight.
The Kiwis moved on from the Nathan Fien "Grannygate" affair emphatically with their greatest wining margin over the Lions, though whether the journey continues to Sydney for the November 25 final depends on their trans-Tasman rivals.
Australia must win in Brisbane next Saturday night to facilitate a repeat of last year's final -- and on the evidence of the Lions' unimpressive showing in the capital tonight the Kangaroos should be hot favourites to avenge their shock 12-23 loss in Sydney last weekend.
The crushing 30-point margin also erased the Kiwis' negative points differential of 28, putting them in credit against the Lions and ensuring they are not relying on the Kangaroos to win by a set amount at Suncorp Stadium.
The Kiwis were worthy winners though Great Britain were twice denied tries by Australian video referee Graham West.
A 35th minute score to wing Gareth Raynor was rubbed out after he was judged to have lost control of a Paul Wellens grubber while West also pushed the red button in 66th minute, penalising Wellens for obstructing David Kidwell as Leon Pryce left three defenders in his wake in the 66th minute.
West viewed several angles of both tries before ruling against the British, summing up a frustrating night for the visitors.
Raynor's non-try was a key moment of an explosive first half that threatened to erupt in the 10th minute when rival centres Steve Matai and Keith Senior were sinbinned for a prolonged skirmish.
Matai took exception to being kneed by Danny McGuire in a tackle and threw the ball at the Lions' five-eighth's head after he had been awarded a penalty - prompting Senior's intervention.
After being spoken to by referee Paul Simpkins the pair continued their stand off pressing foreheads as the fight threatened to reignite.
Senior also took exception to being squirted with water by a Kiwis trainer during the melee.
The Kiwis responded best to being a man down - scoring the first of three first half tries a minute later with Nigel Vagana powering over from dummy half, despite the attention of three Lions defenders and the late arrival of Adrian Morley.
Vagana, the Kiwis' record try scorer defied Terry Newton, Jamie Peacock and Paul Wellens to notch his 19th international try to calm the Kiwis nerves after an anxious beginning.
The Kiwis coughed up possession early in their first two sets but gradually asserted dominance through a sublime performance by Stacey Jones.
Perfect interplay between the Kiwis halfback and skipper Ruben Wiki saw Brent Webb cross for the first of two quickfire tries in the 16th minute while the classy playmaker was the catalyst for the former Australian's second, firing a pinpoint pass to put Webb under the bar.
Great Britain scored their only points either side of Webb's double when Manu Vatuvei's well publicised frailties under the high ball were again exposed.
The big wing spilt a relatively innocuous Danny McGuire cross kick allowing Simon Mannering to score from his fumble.
However, the Kiwis led 16-4 at the break and pulled clear after the interval through tries to Nathan Cayless, Vatuvei and Wiki.
Inevitably Jones was the key component of two, his kicking game tormenting the Lions' goal line defence.
Cayless pounced when a chip kick eluded McGuire and Peacock while Wiki was the beneficiary when a banana kick bounced off the crossbar into the inspirational leader's grateful arms.
While Jones laid on an influential performance, his Lions counterpart Sean Long, a hero of Great Britain's stunning triumph last week was subdued throughout, his grassing of a straightforward pass in the 35th minute neatly illustrating a nightmare evening.
Wiki said a performance such as tonight's by his team had been a long time coming.
The team had not felt the pressure leading up to tonight's match and had focused on performing this week.
"We just went out and didn't worry about the points.
"We stuck to the plan and we really enjoyed it today."
An exhausted Great Britain captain Jamie Peacock said his side's performance tonight was "ordinary".
"It's a very poor performance by us.
"We were ordinary to say the least with the ball and I'm very disappointed.
"It's not the way we trained or played last week so we are going to have to improve next week."
Kiwis 34 (Brent Webb 2, Nigel Vagana, Nathan Cayless, Manu Vatuvei, Ruben Wiki tries; Stacey Jones 5 goals)
Great Britain 4 (Gareth Ellis try).
HT: 16-4.
- NZPA
