New Zealand outplayed England at the Olympic Stadium to keep the three-match Test series alive with an attritional 9-2 victory.
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The final match in the series will take place at Wigan’s DW Stadium next Saturday. I do feel, though, that we left ourselves with too much to do at the start of the game. You get into your attack and there is lack of energy I guess. England had most of the defending to do and did it well, but their own options were poor, especially when they put boot to ball in conditions that were ideal for forcing mistakes.
England head coach Steve McNamara praises the defensive display of his side in the defeat to New Zealand, but admits that the “really basic” errors must be cut out.
McNamara could go back to the tried and trusted Matty Smith, Williams’ half-back partner at Wigan, or take the bold option of giving Castleford scrum-half Luke Gale his debut.
While the defeat was disappointing, he said there wasn’t much between the sides.
New Zealand: R Tuivasa-Sheck (Sydney Roosters); J Nightingale (St George Illawarra), J Kahu (Brisbane), D Whare (Penrith), S Kenny-Dowall (Sydney Roosters); P Hiku (Manly), T Lolohea (NZ Warriors); J Bromwich (Melbourne), I Luke (South Sydney, co-capt), S Moa (Sydney Roosters), K Proctor (Melbourne), T Harris (Melbourne), A Blair (Brisbane, co-capt).
And he came up with a remarkable play to set up the Kiwis only try, showing the handling of a slips fielder to catch grass-cutting pass from Kodi Nikorima, before flicking it on to Shaun Kenny-Dowall.
The national team returns to London for the first time since that disappointment with the added pressure of trying to boost interest in a predominantly northern sport in the capital.
It was an attritional contest of only one try, scored by Shaun Kenny-Dowall early in the second half, but New Zealand were clearly the better side in most respects, particularly their kicking game and their control of the ball in tight situations.
“Then, when I got the nod, I was definitely excited and I honestly didn’t tell anyone apart from my missus”. I don’t think anyone back home was watching me.
“I definitely enjoyed it, especially getting the win to set up a decider next week, although the boys gave it to me after the game for not scoring the try”. “It is important there’s a decent crowd there and having seen the stadium on Sunday at Hull and how full it looked, there are great signs for the game”.
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When Luke missed a simple penalty attempt near the posts in the 70th minute to still leave it just 8-2, England knew they could still escape.
