Lions rout the Kiwis

Great Britain wrapped up the Gillette Fusion Test Series with an immaculate 44-0 rout of New Zealand at the KC Stadium on Saturday night.

Tony Smith's side sealed their first Test series win since 1993 as a result and will head into the third and final Test live on Sky Sports 3 on 10th November confident of achieving the whitewash.

New Zealand made a disastrous start to the match, with Dene Halatau conceding a penalty in the first minute for interference at the play of the ball on Paul Wellens.

Warrington Wolves debutant Jon Clarke then fed Jamie Peacock inside from the restart and the Great Britain skipper held off four Kiwi defenders to go over the line and hand the home side a sensational start. Kevin Sinfield kicked the conversion, and the Lions had a 6-0 lead, just two minutes in.

The Kiwis were stunned and soon found the deficit doubled after conceding another penalty on the quarter hour mark for Shontayne Hape's tackle on Hull winger Gareth Raynor in the air. From the resulting penalty stand-off Leon Pryce collected Rob Burrow's pass and with the aid of a sidestep and spin the St Helens star was able to touch the ball down again for a second converted try.

Penetration

Thomas Leuluai was struggling to find his range with the boot for the visitors, and Britain continued to stand up in defence, when Sam Burgess came off the bench to make another big impact.

Home favourite Raynor atoned for spilling the ball on the Kiwi line just moments earlier as the Kiwis were again penalised by referee Tony Archer - this time for a faulty play of the ball - with the clock ticking down towards half-time.

Bradford Bulls teenager Burgess was held up just short of the line after a fine rampaging run, and the ball eventually worked its way out through quick hands from Pryce, Burrow and Keith Senior to Raynor, who finished strongly in the corner to hand Great Britain a 16-0 lead going into the interval.

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New Zealand needed an immediate response, but when Pryce's kick on the last tackle on 50 minutes was knocked back by Senior in the in-goal area for Paul Wellens to pounce the floodgates opened. Burrow kicked the extras and Great Britain had a 22-0 lead.

Ade Gardner crossed the line for a fifth try after good work from Sean O'Loughlin and Burrow on 55 minutes, and the half-back got in on the act himself on the hour mark after more sleek handling following Adrian Morley's break. Sinfield kicked the conversion and Peacock's side had a superb 32-0 lead.

Centre Senior nipped in for another simple try from Wellens' chip kick through soon after, and Great Britain had a 38-0 lead courtesy of Sinfield's conversion.

Pryce still had time to cross the line for a 60-yard intercept try and Britain had a 44-0 lead, thanks to Sinfield again.

Gary Kemble's side have now slumped to three defeats out of three since he took charge, and he will have a lot of work to do in preparation for next year's World Cup.