Peacock calls for clinical GB

Great Britain captain Jamie Peacock says his team must find the killer touch when they meet New Zealand in their crunch Gillette Tri-Nations Series match at Huddersfield on Saturday.

The Lions are looking for their first points of the series and know that only a comfortable victory at the Galpharm Stadium would be enough to keep alive their final hopes going into their last group match against Australia in Hull next week.

The dramatic return of Kiwi playmaker Stacey Jones promises to make Britain?s task tougher as they look to make up a 36-point deficit on the Kangaroos but Peacock acknowledges they will need to re-discover the finishing ability that deserted them in last week?s heart-breaking 20-6 defeat by the Aussies.

"We?ve just got to go in there and try to win and see what happens then," he said.

"It?s important to keep the series alive so we?ve got to really aim up this weekend.

"We need be more clinical in their 20 when we get down there and convert pressure into points. That?s what we lacked against Australia. We had quite a few sets in their 20. They defended well but we didn?t ask enough questions.

"But there was quite lot more improvement. We were pleased with the way we played for large parts of the game but we were not precise enough in our finishing and that?s something we?ve had to work on.

"It?s our third game and the third game was probably our best performance last year, against Australia, so hopefully it?s the same this week."

Britain are hoping the introduction of Hull half-back Richard Horne, most likely off the bench, will add a cutting edge while they will attempt to make more use of wingers Brian Carney and Leon Pryce.

While tries are a must, the Lions need to be up to speed defensively from the kick-off, unlike they were in their opening 42-26 defeat by New Zealand at Loftus Road, where they never fully recovered from the shock of falling 18-2 behind after 23 minutes.

"Obviously, we can?t afford to start like that again," said coach Brian Noble. "And we can?t afford to think about the points difference. We have got to focus on our performance and an improvement in our performance.

"We?ve seen what we can do in a short spell if we maintain pressure on a team."

In Stuart Fielden, Adrian Morley and Peacock, Britain have the forward power to lay a platform and Paul Deacon has the kicking game to push the Kiwis back.

Britain need a bigger contribution from centres Martin Gleeson and Keith Senior, who have yet to produce in this series, while full-back Paul Wellens might have a crucial part to play if he can find an attacking role.

It could yet come down to points difference but Wellens says that should be the last thought on the players? minds.

"I think it?s important that we don?t let it bother us," he said. "We have just got to look to win two Test matches.

"If you start looking to score so many tries and so many points you start to get away from the performance itself. We?ve got to start winning games and, hopefully, the points difference will take care of itself."

- - - - -

Thanks to www.superleague.co.uk for this article.