KEY POINTS:
Kiwis coach Brian McClennan doesn't quite call it an axis of evil, but Great Britain players groomed by his predecessor pose the major threat to his side extending their Tri-Nations campaign past Saturday night.
McClennan rates the four-man St Helens connection as a potential stumbling block as the
Kiwis try to keep their title defence alive in Wellington.
If the Kiwis win, they can cling on to hope at least until Great Britain and Australia play their final round-robin game in Brisbane, next weekend.
For that scenario to unfold the Kiwis must overcome a Great Britain squad on top of their game after a shock 23-12 defeat of world champions Australia in Sydney.
A Great Britain win based on the contributions of Saints starters Paul Wellens, Sean Long and Leon Pryce, could not have been timed more poorly for the Kiwis, under siege following the costly Nathan Fien selection debacle.
James Roby, another nurtured by former Kiwis coach Daniel Anderson at St Helens, will come off the bench to play dummy half.
Long, especially, was in commanding form at Aussie Stadium last weekend.
He bounced back from a sickening high and late tackle by Willie Mason to orchestrate the Lions' first win in Sydney since 1988, setting up tries to Wellens and Gareth Raynor.
"He's hit a purple patch," said McClennan, with a hint of regret.
McClennan previously lauded Anderson's mentoring role at Saints for Long's new-found ability to translate his club form to the international arena, and that influence was clearly evident against the Kangaroos.
"He was outstanding. He's had a big year, he's one of their key players. We understand when Sean Long plays well, it makes our job harder. It's up to us to make it a difficult night for him."
Long's combination in the halves with Pryce was the major change to the side that lost 14-18 in Christchurch.
Great Britain benefited from Fien's ineligibility in that game, as the Kiwis' two points for winning were erased.
Although Great Britain coach Brian Noble's halves combo was questioned across the Tasman, it came up trumps after Danny McGuire was outed through injury.
McGuire has been named as 18th man for Wellington, but McClennan doubted Noble would tinker with a winning team.
"They're going with the St Helens combination and once [James] Roby comes on there are four pivotal players [from Saints]."
While Long, Pryce and current Super League player of the year Wellens are well known, 21-year-old Roby has been the British surprise packet of the tournament.
The nippy halfback has been used off the bench at dummy half, joining the action after Terry Newton negotiated the initial "feeling out" period.
A lightweight foil to the rugged Newton, Roby's ability to streak out of the play-the-ball has been an important cog in the Lions' high tempo game.
The Kiwis will relish a firm track to hopefully eat into a negative points differential of 28. Much has been made of the need to win comfortably, so the Kiwis are not so reliant on the Kangaroos to erase the rest of the deficit in Brisbane to enable a transtasman final on November 25.
- NZPA
