League: NZ thrashed by Great Britain

Jamie Peacock breaks through a tackle. Matthew Lewis / Getty Images

New Zealand suffered a record loss to Great Britain in the one-off test today.

The Kiwis succumbed 14-46 at St Helens in England in a match coach Brian McClennan had not looked forward to after being denied the services of many of his first-choice players.

Without the cream of his resources because of the refusal of Australian clubs to release players for the match, McClennan's second-string team were found wanting in all facets at Knowsley Road.

A try to wing Lesley Vainikolo raised the Kiwis' hopes when he latched on to a Stacey Jones crosskick in just the second minute but it proved a false dawn as Great Britain repeatedly exposed the New Zealanders around the ruck.

The home side responded with three tries of their own in the first half as they took a commanding 18-4 lead into the interval after Great Britain encountered minimal resistance around the fringes and found the New Zealanders particularly vulnerable up the middle of the field.

Great Britain fought back in emphatic fashion after Vainikolo's early strike despite losing their captain, Paul Sculthorpe, to a knee injury midway through the first half.

Sculthorpe was still on the field while his side scored their first try, to Danny McGuire in the seventh minute after he stepped inside Jones on an angled run to the line.

Prop James Graham had been on the field only a matter of minutes before he marked his international debut with a try in the 26th minute, his bulk proving too much to handle close to the line.

The home side extended their advantage in the 32nd minute when energetic halfback Sean Long scampered 35m after being fed by Paul Wellens following a bust by hooker Terry Newton.

The damage could have been worse from New Zealand's point of view, as Great Britain were denied two tries before the break when Keiron Cunningham was ruled to have lost the ball over the line and later wing Ade Gardner crossed only to be called back for a forward pass.

Any hopes of a New Zealand revival were effectively snuffed out seven minutes into the second spell when Great Britain went further ahead after Keith Senior scored a try courtesy of a sweet step and offload from Wellens.

The New Zealanders' heads began to drop two minutes later when Graham scored a ridiculously easy try.

The Kiwis failed to control a nicely weighted grubber from Long, the hosts regathered to feed Graham, who could not believe his good fortune in a 30m run to the line.

The floodgates threatened to open when McGuire showed nice footwork to skip between two defenders for his second try in the 53rd minute.

New Zealand enjoyed some respite, albeit brief, when a British error on defence was punished by a try from close range by Iafeta Paleaaesina and Jones' conversion at least enabled the tourists to register double figures.

Normal service was resumed almost immediately, though, when the British spread the New Zealand defence from the left to the right where quick hands enabled Gardner to cross untouched near the corner flag.

The New Zealanders then paid the price for again failing to clean up a kick through, with Long scoring his second as Great Britain threatened the half-century mark at 46-10.

There was scant consolation for the Kiwis when space was created for wing Henry Fa'afili to score a try in the final move of the match.

- NZPA