O’Loughlin’s more preoccupied with the Baskerville Shield for winning the series, however, and with streamers, ticker tape and a pyrotechnic background – and crucially wearing a fresh England shirt as opposed to the Kiwi one he’d swapped with an opponent – he raises his prize with glee.
Forget what happened at Wembley, that was a tremendous, at times cheerfully messy game between two well-matched sides, and ultimately the home side deserve to take the honours.
That’s all from me, but check out Aaron Bower’s report. Bye!
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Under pressure to shuffle his squad, and with the Sam Burgess saga creating some perhaps unwanted noise in the background, Steve McNamara ultimately made two outstanding calls to bring in Smith and McGillvary. Both were the standout performers, the debutant in particular looking like he’d been a mainstay of the team, while Hardaker imposed himself in typically rambunctious style and Whitehead’s timing for the first and power for the second ultimately proved the difference between the sides.
Few would quibble with Sean O’Loughlin taking the game out of New Zealand’s reach however, adding to his try in the first Test, and taking away the George Smith medal for his troubles.
The Kiwi coach Stephen Kearney, in rueful form, admitted that his side had been second best on the day: “We didn’t bring out best game of footy to the stadium. England were too good for us today – they were deserved winners.”
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Amid the late drama, Matty Smith took the man of the match honours, while England captain Sean O’Loughlin is named man of the series.
Smith, sporting a bloodied eye, takes his prize in front of a damp but delirious crowd. It was some performance from the Wigan man.
FULL-TIME! England 20-14 New Zealand
It’s too late. The hooter intervenes. England win the series!
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79 min: New Zealand, needing a converted try, are on the ball but those gaps in the England defence are suddenly closed. But they go again …
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TRY! England 20-14 New Zealand (Kahu)
77 min: Tuivasa-Sheck isn’t done here and absolutely careers forward. Suddenly there’s oceans of space on the left and Kahu slides five metres to take matters to within a score.
Crucial conversion … hits the post! The Kiwis are still within a score with just over a minute to go.
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76 min: Proctor spills under duress in the tackle and it’s England’s head and ball just short of halfway. They take the play towards the Kiwi line and time is running out for the visitors.
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TRY! England 20-10 New Zealand (Tuivasa-Sheck)
73 min: Which they do. And it’s another beautiful piece of work from Nightingale on the left wing. He takes a difficult pass tight on the line, gains control and flips it back-handed to the grateful Tuivasa-Sheck. Video referee checks Nightingale’s working, but there’s nothing at all wrong with that.
Luke just misses the conversion, and with five to go the Kiwis need two scores.
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72 min: Or is it? James Graham misjudges an aerial ball behind his own line and the Kiwis are immediately on the attack. They must score quickly to keep the match and series alive.
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TRY! England 20-6 New Zealand (O'Loughlin try, Widdop conversion)
71 min: Mike Cooper barges through countless challenges and suddenly England are in sight on the Kiwi line. Sean O’Loughlin takes on all-comers and manages to ground just to the right of the posts. Video ref is consulted, but it looks cleanly down. Widdop, with daylight on the scoreboard, cannot miss the extras. That’s surely the series.
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69 min: Tuivasa-Sheck, who has disappointed today, spills and lets Watkins atone. The Leeds back dives on the ball as if it was under the sticks to bring up a hat-trick. Suddenly England are on the attack.
68 min: Kallum Watkins spills the ball under challenge from Proctor after a clear knock-on from England, and justice is done to give the Kiwis head and ball on the English 22. A crucial passage for the world’s No1 side.
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66 min: Widdop, under pressure after last week’s performance, cleans up in defence and earns some cheap territory with a bruising run. The stand-off has benefited from Matty Smith’s selection more than anyone and looks a different player.
65 min: Soon after the restart, Sean O’Loughlin gives Tuivasa-Sheck a clip round the ear and New Zealand suddenly have a set to play with in a promising position.
CONVERSION! England 14-6 New Zealand (Widdop)
64 min: A key kick, and straight down the middle from Widdop. Sixteen to go, and suddenly England have daylight.
TRY! England 12-6 New Zealand (Whitehead)
62 min: Shortly after, a penalty gives England a little impetus, and some slick passing opens the door for Whitehead again, who hands off one man, shakes off two more, and crosses for what could be a crucial score.
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60 min: McGillvray gets his biggest test so far, vying for a high kick beyond his own try line with the onrushing Nightingale. He takes it flawlessly, almost as if he was unchallenged.
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59 min: Widdop doesn’t like being cleaned out by Adam Blair as he prepares to kick, but the Kiwi pressure on his man forces the stand-off to boot it out on the full. New Zealand are turning the screw a little here.
58 min: Tuivasa-Sheck’s uncertainty from any kind of kick is costing his side a lot of opportunities to impose themselves. Hardaker threatens to make ground in England’s next set but an ankle tap curbs his progress. Matty Smith’s kick on the last tackle hits an opponent but it’s off the foot and suddenly New Zealand have the ball in a good position.
More dodgy handling from both sides sees a couple of knock-ons, but Thaler spots that the first offence was from a Kiwi hand. England breathe again.
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55 min: New Zealand go again but substitute Alex Glenn fluffs his handling from an awkwardly high pass and takes a huge hit. We pause again with the game set to resume deep in English territory.
53 min: More cautious work in defence from Tuivasa-Sheck keeps the ball in the Kiwi half. They make some strides but after the kick on the last tackle, McGillvary shows how to make some cheap progress by grabbing the ball and careering forward without pause. The debutant has really impressed today.
51 min: Jesse Bromwich takes a sizeable hit and loses the ball as the Kiwis charge forward again. England head and ball, and they look glad of the breather.
50 min: Hardaker has a call to make on his own try line after another tricky dink along the ground and the Leeds man opts to give his side the drop from under the sticks. Given the handling we’ve seen at times, that’s probably for the best.
49 min: Gaps are creeping in, and it’s hard to see the scoreline staying this way too much longer. More messy handling halts an England break 40 yards out – Hall again – and the ball’s back with the visitors.
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45 min: Tuivasa-Sheck takes his time after a Hardaker kick through and Ryan Hall nearly benefits after shoving his man off the ball. Again the slippery egg keeps the score down however, and the Kiwis immediately eye an opening of their own. They go backwards at the key moment, however. No dice.
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43 min: Smith tried another sneaky slider in the Kiwi 22 but runners are lacking and the bounce is kind. Nikorima nearly bursts through in the ensuing set but it comes to nought.
41 min: First England kick on the fifth tackle takes matters back into the Kiwi 22. Tuivasa-Sheck takes extra care to check his handling and the resulting set takes the action deep into England territory. Taupau illegally steals to allow the hosts to maraud further down the pitch.
SECOND-HALF!
We’re off again. More of the same please.
Faced by some excellent early defence from the Kiwis, a slippery dink along the deck from Matty Smith gave England an opening that their possession hadn’t necessarily threatened.
But the Kiwis, favouring the left wing, sporadically knocked at England’s door, and with less of the ball conjured the clearer openings. Nightingale’s finish is the undoubted highlight of the game so far, and gets better with every rewatching – an arcing dive that would have seen him barged through the hoardings by Hardaker had he judged it any differently.
Luke’s follow-up kick, tight on the touchline, slimmed the difference to two points and could prove crucial in the second half.
Here’s our rugby league correspondent on Nightingale’s effort …
Finally Kiwis over.. Great finish from Nightingale..
— Aaron Bower (@AaronBower) November 14, 2015
And then, with a peek at the slo-mo …
Scrap that... INCREDIBLE finish from Nightingale. Body completely off the ground, somehow grounds cleanly. Magnificent. 8-4, ktc
— Aaron Bower (@AaronBower) November 14, 2015
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HALF-TIME! England 8-6 New Zealand
40 to go, and this is anybody’s.
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39 min: Another unfortunate failure from Watkins to find his man ends a promising England break and half-time awaits.
39 min: New Zealand are finishing the half the stronger, with substitutes Taupau and Matulino making some powerful inroads in the England defence. A minute from the hooter, England are relieved to get a penalty close to their own line to relieve the pressure.
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TRY! England 8-6 New Zealand (Nightingale try, Luke conversion)
34 min: A Kiwi set of six threatens to fizzle out near halfway but the visitors opt to run and tidy interplay on the left wing gives Nightingale another glimpse. Hardaker closes in fast once more. The St George Illawarra winger simply dives over his man and touches down in the corner in sensational style. Thaler goes to the video ref, but it’s a glorious piece of athleticism. Luke, faced with a pig of a kick in the conditions, measures it perfectly. Game on.
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32 min: Watkins and Roby almost conjure an interception to drive home even more of an advantage but the St Helens hooker knocks on.
30 min: England are dominating possession but when the Kiwis break they look threatening and full of ideas. A burst from Jason Nightingale on the left wing gives New Zealand a glimpse of the line, but Man of Steel Zak Hardaker dumps him into touch with a beautifully timed tackle.
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TRY! England 8-0 New Zealand (Whitehead try, Widdop conversion)
25 min: Despite handling errors early on, the Kiwi defence had been holding firm. But a tap along the ground takes out three men to let Whitehead through and bring up the game’s first try. Widdop adds the extras and suddenly New Zealand are two scores behind.
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24 min: An attempted pass from Watkins is intercepted to ease the pressure on the Kiwi line. Despite the modest score, this is already so much better than the Wembley Test.
21 min: England penalty, and after the hosts struggle to burst through, a Kiwi hand gives them another full set. Matulino, off the bench, goes in high to give the hosts another chance close to the line.
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19 min: More misery for Hiku who knocks on 10 yards from the England line. Meanwhile Roby and Cooper come on for Hill and Hodgson.
TRY DISALLOWED!
17 min: Video ref has disappointing news for New Zealand. Peta Hiku knocks on in a messy attack in the left corner as the greasy ball again shows handling to be difficult. Soon afterwards, more slippy hands result in a turnover in the England half.
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16 min: First shakiness from McGillvary as an awkward kick over the top bounces mischievously near the posts. He pounces with the Kiwis bearing down at speed, to spare himself some embarrassment.
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14 min: McGillvary has impressed early on in defence with both hands and feet and already looks at home in an England shirt. After some classy work from the Huddersfield debutant at the back, Kallum Watkins spills as the hosts threaten to find a way through on the right.
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9 min: Suddenly the Kiwis spring into life, forcing a real scramble 10 yards out from England’s line which ends with New Zealand’s first penalty. They opt to tap and run, but a poor ball out to the left wing closes the door on a good opportunity.
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6 min: After Hodgson finds touch to take the play to the Kiwi third, some swift treatment for Moa, before England force a turnover early in the ensuing set. They run on the final tackle but fail to burst through on the right wing as New Zealand keep a strong shape.
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England 2-0 New Zealand (Widdop penalty)
4 min: Widdop dinks it over for the game’s first points.
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3 min: Thaler’s first big call of the day, and a penalty in front of the sticks. Despite England’s early pressure, Widdop will kick.
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2 min: Early promise in the first set of six nearly goes to waste before a dig over the top gets cleaned up by Kenny-Dowall. Soon after, McGillvary earns the game’s first penalty to give England another chance to press.
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1 min: From the kick-off, a bit of Keystone Cops in the Kiwi defence from which England force an immediate drop out from under the sticks, and a bit of early pressure.
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KICK-OFF
James Graham nods dismissively at the end of the Kiwi haka, and four minutes later than advertised, we’re off.
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Despite being a sellout, the crowd seems a little thin in parts. Several reports on Twitter of traffic problems around the ground, so some might be hoping the anthems take a little extra time.
Lizzie Jones, widow of the former Keighley half-back Danny Jones, who died aged 29 after suffering a cardiac arrest during a game against London Skolars in May, gets a great response from crowds once again as she joins the pre-match preparations.
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Stephen Kearney has been offering his thoughts on what lies ahead: “What we put out last week isn’t going to be good enough this week. We’ve got a Test series on the line.
“We’ve built up expectation of performance in a Kiwi jumper. The guys today have that responsibility – if we take our best performance out there today we’ll have a great chance.”
Once the coin was located after the toss, England have emerged with kicking off honours at the DW. Just under 25 mins to kick-off.
COIN TOSS #EnglandRL to kick-off the third game at @DWStadium #WallofWhite pic.twitter.com/4D3EQ3AUEy
— England Rugby League (@England_RL) November 14, 2015
McGillvary could have been forgiven for having butterflies in the runup to his England bow.
Thankfully Leeds winger Ryan Hall has proved a fine distraction.
This is the last time i room with the skunk @Ryan5Hall horrible man.
— Jermaine McGillvary (@J_mcGillvary) November 13, 2015
But then …
What a journey! No matter what happens today im going to enjoy it. pic.twitter.com/XhSuipl7Wv
— Jermaine McGillvary (@J_mcGillvary) November 14, 2015
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Teams
For England, the Wigan scrum-half Matty Smith and Huddersfield’s Jermaine McGillvary – last season’s leading try scorer in Super League – get the nod in place of Joe Burgess and George Williams, who drop out of the matchday squad.
It’s quite some occasion for McGillvary’s debut, while Smith comes in for the first time since his side’s Four Nations heartbreak in Dunedin last year.
Stephen Kearney’s New Zealand are unchanged from the Wembley Test.
England
Hardaker; McGillvary, Watkins, Bateman, Hall; Widdop, Smith; Graham, Hodgson, Hill, Farrell, Whitehead, O’Loughlin
Interchange Roby, T Burgess, Cooper, Ferres
New Zealand
Tuivasa-Sheck; Nightingale, Kahu, Whare, Kenny-Dowall; Hiku, Nikorima; Bromwich, Luke, Moa, Proctor, Harris, Blair
Interchange Brown, Taupau, Matulino, Glenn
Today’s referee is Wakefield-born Ben Thaler, who also took charge of the first Test.
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Preamble
Against the backdrop covered in depth by my colleagues in news, I’m sure many fans – not to mention some of the players on show at the DW Stadium this afternoon – will acknowledge that coming out on the losing side of today’s final Test, and the three-match series, could feel perhaps less painful than it might have 24 hours ago.
But for 80 minutes at least, a rugby league series closer, with everything to play for, in wet and windy Wigan offers a extremely welcome tonic to events elsewhere.
So hello.
There was much to consider in the countdown to England’s encounter with New Zealand today. Did Steve McNamara’s side punch themselves out with their 26-12 comeback victory in the first Test? Has England’s coach taken too much heart from the second-half performance that day, and resisted some of the changes needed to bring about a series win? On a wider scale, was last Saturday’s dismal display at the Olympic Park, won by the Kiwis, a missed opportunity for league to shine in London?
Feel free to put your thoughts on these and more to me via email or Twitter this afternoon.
In Aaron Bower’s preview of today’s game, the England captain Sean O’Loughlin spoke of the opportunity this match can provide to his side.
“We have spoken a lot about being close over the last few years and we are desperate to get a series win and get our hands on some silverware,” O’Loughlin said. “We need that to prove we are making steps forward and improving. We have been so close for a few years now and that’s been spoken of a lot. This is a series we earmarked to get over the line and get a win.”
And what a marker it could put down. New Zealand, let’s remember, are the world’s No1 side, and aside from England’s memorable and comfortable victory over the Kiwis in the 2011 Four Nations, masterminded by a man of the match showing from Kevin Sinfield, pickings have been slim for today’s hosts in recent times. And heartbreaking late defeats in the 2013 World Cup and 2014 Four Nations against this opposition give little in the way of comfort going into such a decisive fixture.
England’s record against the Kiwis since the turn of the century:
P11, W3, L8, F 192, A246
England are a distant third in the RLIF rankings, and this is marked out by their results against the sides at one and two respectively since the turn of the century. That 28-6 win in Hull four years ago promised much but merely preceded a final which saw a jaw-dropping second-half capitulation against Australia. Indeed, expanded to also take in results against both the Kiwis and the Kangaroos, things don’t look clever. At all.
England’s record against both New Zealand and Australia since 2000:
P20, W3, L17, F304, A536
Much of the damage in those stats comes from England’s seriously awful record against Australia (played nine, lost nine in the last 15 years), but it’s undeniable that recent history points to an uphill battle for McNamara and co today. And that’s all quite aside from when you rewatch passages from last weekend’s game. Caution: it doesn’t get any prettier.
But when the players cross the line, theoretically at least, what went before gets forgotten.
It’s one-all with one to play. Eek.
It’s a sellout in Wigan, and kick-off is at 1pm GMT. Teams to follow.
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