Wash-up from Game III

Coach Brian Noble insists Great Britain will be better prepared for next week's Tri-Nations clash with Australia after making a losing start to its campaign last night.

New Zealand kept alive its hopes of defending the Tri-Nations title with an 18-14 defeat of the Lions at Jade Stadium in Christchurch. The Lions now face a week of intense preparation for next Saturday's match against Australia at Sydney's Aussie Stadium.

But Noble says his side will take plenty of positives out of last night's game and should step up a gear against the world champion Kangaroos. The British team are due to arrive in Sydney late this afternoon.

Meanwhile, enforcer Adrian Morley is free to play Australia in Saturday's Tri-Nations clash in Sydney.

The former Rooster has been cleared of two incidents of alleged foul play in a fiery rugby league Test against New Zealand last night in Christchurch. Morley had been placed on report for a jolting hit on Kiwi skipper Ruben Wiki and New Zealand management also laid a complaint after he later punched Brent Webb in the head.

Morley was found to have no case to answer after a three-member panel reviewed video footage of the incidents.