Peter Jessup: Day of reckoning arrives for Freeman

Gary Freeman's test has arrived, in more ways than one.

The coach who came from nowhere - well, the Penrith under-16s and other assistant roles with reserve-grade teams for clubs in west Sydney, as his critics would point out - has to prove himself starting with tomorrow's first league test against Great Britain in Blackburn, or he's a goner.

The madcap play of the first four games of the tour must be arrested if the Kiwis are to win and Freeman is to cement his position in the job.

The side have made too many mistakes. They've dropped too much ball and pushed passes too often when it was unnecessary.

They've cost themselves numerous points and let opposition teams in for touchdowns they should never have been allowed.

Among the disturbing signs has been the lack of go-forward, earning the right to go wide.

Leadership appears wanting. So do polish and efficiency - the three-quarters have been over the line many times and blown touchdowns because of bad technique.

Monty Betham has been too eager. There are some uncharacteristically silly things in his game.

Michael Smith appears to want to play all by himself, maybe trying too hard to force his way into the test side.

There's been too much indiscipline, even if some of the decisions by the English refs are unusual. The Kiwis have to learn and adapt - and they haven't been.

This Great Britain side will be no walkover and comparisons with the 64-10 loss to Australia in July are pointless.

Then, they had flown round the world out of season and arrived just days before the match.

The Kangaroos were in the middle of the NRL season and hardened by State of Origin.

On home turf, with a tough pack, genuine game-breakers in Andy Farrell, Sean Long and Keiron Cunningham, and a deafening northern singalong behind them, the British will be formidable opposition.

Still, despite the many injury-enforced omissions from the original selection and the early return home of Motu Tony, Freeman has with him the most experienced side any coach has taken on a tour to Britain.

All bar a handful played season finals with the Warriors, Roosters or Bradford.

One loss to Great Britain might be forgivable - dropping the series would not be.

With 67 games for his country, including 46 tests, Freeman will always be one of the great Kiwis. About to turn 41, he played with some of the touring party.

Tomorrow he has to rely on those guys - Stephen Kearney, Ruben Wiki and the man who replaced him in the No 6 jersey, Stacey Jones - to take a big step towards settling whether he has a future as coach.