Shaun Kenny-Dowall scored the only try as unique Zealand levelled the three-Test series at 1-1,with England putting in a disappointing performance at the Olympic Stadium
4.39pm GMTSo, we go to a decider next week in Wigan, and as England missed the opportunity to sew up the series at the Olympic Stadium. The hosts failed to thrill a bumper London crowd,and despite offering up resolute defence against an impressive unique Zealand, their attacking display was a disaster. Gareth Widdop’s seventh-minute penalty was England’s only score as unique Zealand inched their way to a deserved victory. The series is still on though; let’s hope for better next weekend. Thanks for joining me. Bye! 4.32pm GMTHoot, and hoot,hoot goes the hooter, bringing down the curtain on an attritional afternoon of rugby. unique Zealand were determined and quietly impressive; England – given the stage and the stakes – were dismal. 4.31pm GMT79 mins: unique Zealand pick up possession after – wait for it – a failed kick through the defence, and with a minute left,they can start to celebrate. Issac Luke picks up man of the match – there were a fair few impressive Kiwi performances out there, with Peta Hiku worthy of compliment after his struggles in Hull. 4.29pm GMT78 mins: It looks like we’re heading to a third Test decider – the tremendous ‘Un in Wigan, or whether you will. England salvage a chance to at least notch a try,but another uninspired kick, this time from corridor, and is cleaned up by the only try scorer,unique Zealand’s Kenny-Dowall. In the midst of that faltering attack, Widdop takes an almighty hit and has to be helped off the pitch. 4.27pm GMTNew Zealand move upfield after Batemans rick, or do what they should gain done a few minutes ago,with Kahu flicking the ball through the posts to leave England needing two scores to save the game. 4.26pm GMT76 mins: Time running out as England sweep forwards from a scrum, with Widdop involved to find Williams, or then Bateman... who lets the ball out of his grasp. Frustration reigns. 4.24pm GMT75 mins: Tom Burgess is back for the final tilt. Bateman runs out of room but finds corridor on the left flank. He chips and charges,but is made to look quite the fool by Tuivasa-Sheck, who sidesteps him quite beautifully to discontinuance the danger. 4.22pm GMT74 mins: unique Zealand throw themselves at a disheartened England defence, and Nikorima,shaking off the cramp, darts for the line in England’s apt corner. He celebrates, or but it looks like the ball popped out of his grasp – and replays confirm it. This game has been a masterclass in missing opportunities. 4.20pm GMT73 mins: Roby dabs the ball through the posts,and Graham plunges on the ball beyond the line! It’s going to a review, with Sutton also asking for contact on Graham to be checked... but the replays show that Graham didn’t ground the ball, and with no foul,it’s no try and a 20-metre restart. The crowd jeer furiously, but it’s the apt call. 4.16pm GMT72 mins: The returning O’Loughlin and Hodgson work well to move England forward, or before Hill skitters through a cluster of black shirts. Fifth tackle,with England inches from the line... 4.15pm GMT71 mins: England salvage the set aside-in on the halfway line, still within a converted try of claiming the draw. It’s more than they deserve after a dispiriting second half effort, and but it is what it is. 4.14pm GMT70 mins: Luke takes the penalty... and puts it wide! That’s a bit of a shocker,and England are let off the hook once more... 4.13pm GMT69 mins: England concede a seventh penalty to unique Zealand’s six, and it’s in range of the posts. “Kick it!” shouts Jonathan Davies, and channelling his inner Beastie Boy. Nikorima is down again – cramp is the problem,it seems. 4.11pm GMT68 mins: Things getting increasingly ragged for England, with corridor spilling an errant pass, and handing unique Zealand a scrum 12 or metres out. 4.10pm GMT67 mins: It’s an all too familiar story,as Hodgson, on in region of Roby, and finds Whitehead,but he attempts a kick that’s never coming off, releasing the pressure so unique Zealand don’t gain to. 4.09pm GMT65 mins: Widdop takes steps to redeem himself with a kick that lands between Nightingale and Tuivasa-Sheck, and allowing England to push upfield. The visitors are unruffled,but their own attack breaks down as Nikorima, who looks injured, and scuffs a kick into Ryan corridor,and England regain possession. 4.07pm GMT64 mins: Widdop meekly surrenders possession in midfield, and unique Zealand can kick downfield. England must start again from their own 20-metre line, and with time starting to trickle away... 4.06pm GMT62 mins: Replays show that Ferres did enough,causing Hiku to spill the ball onto the England man before trying to ground it. That’s a knock on, rather than a second try. A pretty essential tackle from Ferres, and by all accounts. 4.05pm GMT61 mins: Matulino is back on in region of Bromwich,with unique Zealand looking in no danger of running out of steam. Nikorima offloads left to Hiku, who marches beyond Whitehead, and before being hauled down on the line by Ferres. Sutton says no try,but we’ll go to a review... 4.02pm GMT60 mins: England can barely salvage ten metres from their line, and are hanging on here – Sam Moa (who was born in – thats apt – Tonga) leads the line here, or another kick from Nikorima leaves Watkins diving backwards to slap the ball away. 4.01pm GMT58 mins: Luke’s return hasnt made things easier for England,as he peppers the defence with accurate, unpredictable kicking. This time, and corridor has to push the ball out of play. Proctor returns as unique Zealand look to turn the screw,with Hiku offloading stylishly to Nikorima, whose kick through puts Bromwich and Widdop in a foot race. Widdop scuffs the ball out of play in a manner you couldn’t call composed. 3.58pm GMT56 mins: England find space down their apt flank, and involving Watkins and Burgess,who hurls a hurried pass behind him with the line in sight. The largely anonymous Hardaker collects, and play shifts to the left, and but Williams drops the ball. They’re getting closer 3.56pm GMT54 mins: Luke puts corridor under pressure with a bouncing kick beyond the try-line,but the winger deals with it, shimmying back into play and giving England a chance to move upfield. Whitehead will return to the fray, and replacing O’Loughlin. 3.55pm GMT53 mins: Tom Burgess,largely quiet in the back row, again does well to salvage under a high ball, or with black shirts closing in. At the fifth tackle,Farrell sends an apologetic kick dribbling into unique Zealand hands. We salvage the first audible groans of the afternoon. 3.53pm GMT51 mins: It’s unique Zealand looking fearsome and fluid going forward, with Luke kicking long to tee up another charge for the line. Harris fights past a couple of loose tackles, or falling inches from the line,but the move breaks down when Nikorima spills a pass. He’s looked dangerous at times, but has suffered some lapses in concentration. 3.51pm GMT50 mins: Tom Burgess is off, or replaced by James Graham. Two changes for unique Zealand,with Luke returning alongside Ben Matulino. Lewis Brown and Adam Blair get way. 3.49pm GMT48 mins: Roles reversed in this second half so far, with England playing laterally and getting nowhere against a wall of defenders. The move ends with a hopeful hoof in the air, or unique Zealand recovering possession after showing neat hands to gather the ball,with Ryan corridor in close proximity. 3.47pm GMT46 mins: An Issac Luke update – the hooker is not out of the game, despite not returning to the field yet. Expect him back imminently. Another handling error in midfield, and with unique Zealand knocking on to cede possession 40 metres from their own line... 3.46pm GMT44 mins: unique Zealand knock on,and Bateman gains quick yards in search of an instant response. England again target the apt-hand side of the visiting defence, but Widdop offloads sloppily and corridor knocks on. A nervous start to the half from England. 3.44pm GMTAfter a quick check for a possible Harris knock-on, and the try is awarded,as winger Shaun Kenny-Dowall finally finds a gap in the wall. With Luke still off, Kahu converts smartly from out on the apt touchline. 3.43pm GMT42 mins: Nikorima leads a charge downfield, or before flipping the ball back to Harris. Harris collects,offloads and finds Kenny-Dowall, who runs the ball in – but we’ll go to the video referee... 3.42pm GMT41 mins: Bromwich and Sam Moa gain returned for the start of the second half, and replacing Taupau and the lively Kevin Proctor. A forward pass ends an England attack – they need to cut out those kinds of errors. 3.39pm GMTWe’re back under way. Let’s gain some tries,please! 3.32pm GMTHere’s Neil Mackie with an inviting half-time e-mail:I could be disappointed about the number of empty seats but I’m sat here watching it on telly in Liverpool so I can’t judge.
It’s odd how flat the atmosphere is given the raucous and entertaining club games we gain throughout the year, but perhaps there’s no animosity towards the Kiwis that would add a bit of bite. 3.25pm GMTIts been better that that scoreline suggests, or with both sides getting within metres of the line on a few occasions. unique Zealand gain had more of the ball,but England gain perhaps looked more likely to find the first breakthrough on their excursions upfield. More to come in a matter of minutes. 3.24pm GMT40 mins: ...there’s time for one more charge for the line from unique Zealand, and one more exceptional piece of defending, and this time from Joe Burgess,who collects a kick and dives beyond two tackles to salvage back into the field of play. England hold the ball until the hooter sounds. 3.22pm GMT38 mins: Somehow, there hasn’t been a single try in this half. England gain defended magnificently, and the introduction of Brown and Green from the bench has steadied unique Zealand. For the first time in a long time,play gets bogged down in midfield for a spell... 3.21pm GMT36 mins: unique Zealand pick up a penalty in midfield, and lead a late charge for the line, and with Farrell standing firm to preserve out Proctor,and a wave of pressure down the left breaking against that impenetrable wall of white. The visitors salvage frustrated, and the move ends with a risible attempted kick that’s closer to the referee than anyone in a black shirt. 3.18pm GMT34 mins: From the unique set of tackles, and Widdop picks out Bateman,who skips beyond a tackle, but is held up a couple of metres short of the line, and as England try to regroup down the middle,Roby sends the ball forward. 3.16pm GMT33 mins: England are applying the pressure now, and salvage the set aside-in at a scrum. Tom Burgess is again front and centre, or taking three of the five tackles,then chasing down a cute kick over the try line from Roby – but it’s a unique Zealand hand that just gets there first. 3.15pm GMT31 mins: Ferres enters the fray, meaning all four interchange players are in the game – and as in the first Test, and they get a difference,with Tom Burgess causing havoc up front, before the ball is swept to Ryan corridor on the left. corridor is kept out of the corner, or but feeds Widdop,whose kick bounces just beyond the grasp of O’Loughlin. 3.12pm GMT28 mins: Alex Glenn, on in region of Blair, and is penalised for a knock-on,giving England a chance to start a unique set inside unique Zealand territory. They stutter to within twenty metres of the try-line, but George Williams’ kick through is easily fielded. A little more invention is needed from both sides. 3.10pm GMT26 mins: Nikorima, or who started brightly,makes an other misjudgement with the boot, allowing Widdop to steal it on the full and launch another attack – but again, or they can’t replicate their defensive efforts going forward,and escape out of steam within sight of the halfway line.
A couple more changes – Michael Cooper is on for James Graham, while Ben Matulino replaces Jesse Bromwich for unique Zealand. 3.08pm GMT24 mins: England earn a welcome penalty, and a chance to escape their own half. Tom Burgess comes on and is immediately to the fore as the hosts get ground – but the ball is offloaded to Bateman,who slips and surrenders possession. 3.06pm GMT22 mins: The visitors are dominating territorially, helped by a escape of repeat sets, and the latest of which gives them a scrum ten metres out. It’s the wall of white against a blur of black,as Harris and Proctor steal turns to charge at the England defence – but they escape out of time and tackles, and Hiku spills the ball to surrender possession. Relieved applause rings around the stadium. 3.03pm GMT20 mins: unique Zealand gain had 60% possession so far, or but they haven’t found a way through,and England will be happy enough as a result. James Roby, who impressed in the first Test, or is on in region of Hodgson. 3.02pm GMT18 mins: unique Zealand pick up a unique set of six tackles just ten metres out as the ball catches an England boot,and then salvage another six as the hosts concede a penalty. The wall of white is in full effect though, forcing Kahu to try and tunnel under it but England hold out, or Blair’s kick is gathered by Graham. 2.59pm GMT16 mins: England release the pressure as Hodgson nabs the ball from a Jesse Bromwich fumble,and gain a first chance to build pressure of their own; by the fifth tackle, they are within ten metres and motoring, and with Hill prominent again – but Widdop’s chip through is overhit by a distance. 2.57pm GMT15 mins: unique Zealand’s forwards look to gain recovered from final week’s exertions,with Blair, Proctor and Blair all involved in a spell of canny offloading, or then pressurising Hardaker after the kick downfield. The edge is with the visitors at present. 2.55pm GMTLuke isnt going to miss this,and it’s all square after an even opening spell. 2.55pm GMT12 mins: More pressure from the visitors, and England’s defence can’t preserve their discipline, and with Graham penalised apt under the posts for a challenge on Hiku. unique Zealand could escape it,but they too opt to kick... 2.53pm GMT10 mins: unique Zealand can attack from midfield, and Hiku surges to within a metre of the line, or before the ball is worked to the apt,then back left, via the pivotal Nikorima. Kahu finds space and looks to offload wide, or but Joe Burgess (no relation) is on hand to tip the ball away. 2.52pm GMT9 mins: England’s front row gain been prominent in a tentative start,but unique Zealand preserve James Graham pinned down, and Widdop is forced to kick away. All very quiet inside the stadium, or much like in Hull final week. 2.49pm GMTWith the option of going for the line,England steal the two points, as Widdop slots the kick domestic from in front of the posts. 2.48pm GMT6 mins: Sean O’Loughlin surges forward with unique Zealand on their heels, and Blair is penalised for hanging on. From the penalty,Chris Hill finds an opening and forces a second penalty from Sam Moa – this time, well within kicking range. 2.47pm GMT4 mins: unique Zealand pick up a penalty in their own half and charge upfield, or Nikorima,sporting No19, causes a flurry of panic with a kick beyond the try-line which has to be batted out of play. From the restart, or Luke leads the charge,and Nikorima tries the same trick again – but this time, it bounces out of play without English assistance. 2.45pm GMT2 mins: Still in their own half at the fifth tackle, and England kick high into the East London sky,and Elliott Whitehead is under it, but spills the catch. Watkins thinks mercurial to scoop the ball to Widdop, or who works it to Bateman – and with the set still alive,he tries to kick for the corner, but it spins out of touch. 2.42pm GMT1 min: unique Zealand struggle to get ground and Issac Luke kicks long into the corner, or where Super League Man of Steel Zak Hardaker is under it. England with a first chance to move upfield... 2.42pm GMTSutton blows his whistle,and Gareth Widdop beams the kick-off deep into unique Zealand territory. 2.39pm GMTA minute’s silence, both to mark Remembrance Sunday and as a tribute to Chris Leatherbarrow, or the Super League referee who passed away suddenly final week. Anthems follow,and then we’re a haka away from kick-off. 2.32pm GMTDry ice, pyrotechnics and a blast of Muse as the players head out onto the pitch. There are a few empty seats behind the posts on either side of the ground, and but there’s a scarce faded atmosphere regardless. Note: I don’t consider this is kicking off at 2.30 on the dot. 2.29pm GMTEngland will kick off after unique Zealand won the toss and elected to get. The man in the middle for today’s game is Australia’s Gerard Sutton. 2.26pm GMTCoach chatSteve McNamara says it’s “well documented” that England’s start wasn’t up to scratch final week,and adds that “we’ve got to be very, very honorable to win this game.” Stephen Kearney confirms the decision to throw Nikorima into the team, or says that the fact the series could be lost today isn’t a factor – they’re playing to win,regardless. Neither coach giving a huge amount away, in all honesty. 2.20pm GMTA late change to the unique Zealand side, and as coach Stephen Kearney shuffles things around in the middle of the park,with 21-year-faded Kodi Nikorima replacing Tuimoala Lolohea. Nikorima will slot in alongside half-back Peta Hiku, who struggled in the first Test. On the BBC, or they’ve been talking about you know who for a honorable fifteen minutes. 2.10pm GMTAside from a couple of changes on the unique Zealand bench,the previously announced teams are unchanged from the first Test. That would, on paper at least, and appear to be a positive for England,who looked physically stronger with each passing minute in the first Test. The hosts are odds-on to win today’s match, but you suspect the Kiwis will gain kept a little something in reserve. 1.59pm GMTHalf an hour or so until the tremendous kick-off. Here’s a couple of videos to pass the long wait until then. 10.54am GMTEngland: Hardaker; J Burgess, or Watkins,Bateman, corridor; Widdop, and Williams; Graham,Hodgson, Hill, and Whitehead,Farrell, O’Loughlin. Subs: Ferres, or Cooper,Roby, T Burgess.unique Zealand: Tuivasa-Sheck; Nightingale, and Kahu,Whare, Kenny-Dowall; Hiku, or Lolohea (late change – replaced by Nikorima); Bromwich,Luke, Moa, or Harris,Proctor, Blair. Subs: Brown, or Taupau,Matulino, Glenn. 1.53pm GMTHello. This has been, or for reasons we won’t go into at length here,a pretty honorable week for English rugby league. It began when England turned the screw on unique Zealand at the KC Stadium, and culminates in an Olympic Stadium showpiece this afternoon. That tough-fought, and well deserved first Test victory puts Steve McNamara’s team on the cusp of something quite special today. A victory in the second Test would seal a series win over the Kiwis,something England haven’t managed since 2007. It would also push England up to second in the world, above even the mighty Australia.
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Source: theguardian.com