Wayne Bennett has made several changes to the Great Britain team that will face New Zealand on Saturday. The most important have been the replacement of Lachlan Coote by John Lomax as full back, and the selection of hooker Daryl Clark on the bench. https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/rugby-le ... d-20746824 This is now a much more formidable team than the one defeated by Tonga.

Wayne Bennett has made several changes to the Great Britain team that will face New Zealand on Saturday. The most important have been the replacement of Lachlan Coote by John Lomax as full back, and the selection of hooker Daryl Clark on the bench. https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/rugby-le ... d-20746824 This is now a much more formidable team than the one defeated by Tonga.

Not an avid NRL follower but looking at the Kiwi team, it doesn’t look as strong in the forwards as the Tongan team were. We’ll certainly need to do better in that area if we’re to stand a chance.

With NZ missing top props Asofa-Solomona and Jesse Bromwich plus Ah Mau under an injury cloud their pack is severely weakened and not as strong as the one fielded by Tonga.

Believe Gt Britain will do well to win 1 of the 2 tests.

The article has reminded me that the senile old goat selected Joe philbin over Liam watts in the first place



Glad Daz Clark will feature.

A little harsh to blame Bennett for all the SL players selected. Surely he would have taken guidance from his UK assistant coaches Powell and Ward as to who deserved selection.

Perhaps they did want Watts but Bennett didn't because of possible discipline issues.Who knows?

New Zealand by 18

In honesty, this never actually crossed my mind (Re Powell and Ward) but this probably has some truth in it. Bennett will ultimately have the selection, but I imagine he will take guidance from these two on the UK based player front.

Is Powell still involved? I've only seen Ian Watson and Danny Ward with the squad.

He isnt. Its Ward and Watson

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If that's the case,they have certainly not been paying any attention to L.Watts performances during the season. I wouldn't mind their job.Money for old rope as they say.

If there's one person who isn't swayed by names or reputation then it's Ian Watson so I doubt he had much to do with Watts' omission.

For me the issue isn't in the forwards.
Although the Tonga forwards were really strong, they didn't actually dominate the British pack completely. There were times when we had momentum. It was in my opinion the half backs who repeatedly wasted their 6th tackle plays.
Lomax will hopefully make a difference though personally I'd swap him with Widdop positionally.

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I definitely agree with that.

I suspect that now Keiron Foran is playing in the halves, alongside Benjamin Marshall, New Zealand will have more direction in attack, and a much better tactical kicking game than last week. With the brilliant Roger Tuivasa-Sheck at full back, and a strong pack of forwards, facing a Great Britain side without Samuel Burgess, New Zealand could run away with this game.

Great Britain needs Canberra hooker Joshua Hodgson to lift his game, and the two Canberra second rowers John Bateman and Elliot Whitehead to play at their very best, if Great Britain is to have a chance.

My mistake-sorry for naming Powell instead of Watson.

After Thompson, Walmsley and Bateman Liam Watts should have been the next name in that pack.
Poor discipline in players has certainly not put other coaches off when selecting their squad.

Driving up to Jaffa-Town for this tonight and really looking forward to it. NZ $25.00 for 3 top grade games has to be the bargain of the century, so let's hope we get a good crowd.....the sense of apathy regarding the Union here makes me think that any sport other than Rugby Union will attract attention at the moment.
Samoa v Fiji is a tough game to call, but I'm going for a Samoan win. NZ should have too much for GB, but it's going to be tight, whilst the Aussies will win by as many as they want to.

While I agree Watts deserved a place, I don't agree that it was at the expense of Philbin.

Philbin has impressed me, he's very capable of bringing us the aggression and Impact from the bench. He battered and out shined the Saints forwards in that Challenge cup final, and was a key factor in Warrington winning that cup.

Watts has just married Joe Westerman's sister in Bali, so perhaps, that is the reason he wasn't in the squad

So glad BBC are showing the whole game on the red button at 9.30am, means I have a legitimate reason for not watching the Yawnion World Cup.

Indeed. Why would you want to a watch a thrilling game littered with world class rugby players when you could watch a load of unfit fat lads playing league?

Solid first half, hopefully the game opens up in the 2nd half. Our last tackle plays need to improve.

Dave Woods is beyond irritating to listen to.

Well that 1st half was worth getting up for

Enjoyed the arm-wrestle.
Game there to be won.

Pivots once again no idea.