KEY POINTS:
There's sure to be heavy action in the middle of Hull Stadium on Sunday as the Kiwis return fire for the head-high shots put on them in test one and the English dismissal of citings against Great Britain players.
Discipline has been underlined for the team all week as the New Zealand Rugby League have fired shots at the judicial process. The coaching staff have told players to keep their cool and not to give away penalties.
There is some seething reaction to the swinging-arm tactics used by Great Britain players coming into the tackle at Huddersfield last Sunday in the first test. The Kiwis will be keen to show they can muscle up.
However, unlike previous years, the Kiwis would rather win the game than the fight. So legal gang-tackles should be the softening-up approach. Reckless shoulder charges will create holes for the Lions' little men.
"I wouldn't want to miss the opening exchanges," NZRL chairman Andrew Chalmers said yesterday.
He faces fireworks himself when the Rugby League International Federation meet prior to the third test. The judicial process and other issues will be discussed to introduce some consistency ahead of the World Cup in Australia next year.
Lions prop Adrian Morley, who escaped punishment after a citing from the All Golds game and was not cited for another high shot in the first test, is expecting the Kiwis to try and exert dominance in the forwards.
"They certainly are a big bunch of forwards and I'm sure they will be coming out all guns blazing," said Morley.
The veteran forward, with 29 tests to his credit, said he felt the Lions would improve, as would the Kiwis.
"We're going to expect a pretty tough game. They're a proud nation and going to come back strong."
But the Lions were looking to seal the series 2-0, he said.
Both coaches have named 20-man squads that will be reduced late. The Kiwis yesterday included wing Tame Tupou, who has a knee strain, and bench forward Epalahame Lauaki (calf) but the word was they are doubtful starters. Prop Fuifui Moimoi has been cleared of a broken jaw but a neck/back problem has reduced his time in training this week. He was said to be most likely of the three to pass a medical test and take his place but was rated 50/50. Storm prop Jeff Lima is the likely replacement if required.
Left out of Gary Kemble's second test squad are halfback Jeremy Smith, wing Shaun Kenny-Dowall and centre Chase Stanley, who weren't in the first test squad, and Bulldogs five-eighth Ben Roberts who has been dropped.
Coming into the squad is Leeds centre Clinton Toopi. He is certain to play, probably pushing Shontayne Hape out to the right wing to replace Tupou.
With Roberts dropped, Lance Hohaia is the only choice at five-eighth. He has been putting in hours of goal-kicking practice after missing three at Huddersfield, where he returned to the Kiwis' end as the video ref considered the early try to Hape and had to be reminded by a trainer to take the conversion.
"I had just forgotten. I was excited and forgot all about it. This weekend I'll make sure I'm there," said Hohaia.
It appears David Faiumu will play as Kemble seeks more spark out of dummy-half. It was clearly an area where the Lions were dominant last weekend.
The Great Britain squad have completed an army-style assault course on the Yorkshire dales and today hold an open training session at Hull KR Stadium. This is unusually close to a test match, suggesting coach Tony Smith is seeking to generate an atmosphere that will intimidate the Kiwis.
Smith has recalled Danny McGuire into his 20-man squad after the Leeds five-eighth suffered a broken hand when turning on a good performance against the All Golds.
He's likely to come off the bench rather than be a replacement for Leon Pryce.
Hull centre Kirk Yeaman is also called up after an ankle problem following the All Golds game but seems unlikely to play.
Their goal-kicker Kevin Sinfield has recovered from a stomach virus and is a certain starter, probably pushing Sean O'Loughlin to the bench and putting out Jon Wilkin.
Smith has focused on combinations in a bid to improve Great Britain's attack.
He said his squad had "only scratched the surface" in the first week before the first test.
"Each day they're together and with each session we have together, I would hope we could gel and get a better understanding of each other and execute a little bit better," he said.
NEW ZEALAND vs GREAT BRITAIN - Hull Stadium, 7.15am Sunday
KIWIS SQUAD
Fullback: Sam Perrett (Roosters); wings: Taniela Tuiaki (Tigers), Tame Tupou (Bradford); centres: Clinton Toopi (Leeds), Shontayne Hape (Bradford), Paul Whatuira (Tigers); five-eighth: Lance Hohaia (Warriors); halfback: Thomas Leuluai (Wigan); props: Fuifui Moimoi (Eels), Sam Rapira (Warriors), Roy Asotasi (Souths, c), Jeff Lima (Storm); hookers: Dene Halatau (Tigers), David Faiumu (Cowboys); backrowers: Louis Anderson (Warriors), Greg Eastwood (Broncos), Epalahame Lauaki (Warriors), Simon Mannering (Warriors), Frank Pritchard (Panthers), Jeremy Smith (Storm).
GREAT BRITAIN SQUAD
Fullback: Paul Wellens (St Helens); wings: Ade Gardner (St Helens), Gareth Raynor (Hull); centres: Martin Gleeson (Warrington), Keith Senior (Leeds), Kirk Yeaman (Hull); five-eighth: Leon Pryce (St Helens), Danny McGuire (Leeds); halfback: Rob Burrow (Leeds); props: Adrian Morley (Warrington), Sam Burgess (Bradford), Maurie Fa'asavalu (St Helens); hookers: Terry Newton (Bradford), James Roby (St Helens); backrowers: Sean O' Loughlin (Wigan), Jamie Peacock (Leeds, c), Kevin Sinfield (Leeds), Jon Wilkin (St Helens), Ellis (Leeds), James Graham (St Helens).
