League: Captain's injury huge concern for England

Ryan Atkins of England dives over to score. Photo / Getty Images

New Zealand Maori 18
England 18

England could either be very good or poor in the Four Nations but it's difficult to predict which after they produced a mixed performance against the New Zealand Maori last night.

In the opening 50 minutes, they created a healthy 18-0 lead as they bossed the game on attack and defence, but they were virtually helpless to stop the Maori response and conceded 18 points in the final 30 minutes as they faded badly.

There were mitigating circumstances. They lost skipper Adrian Morley inside the first 10 minutes to an arm injury and halfback Sam Tomkins joined him on the sidelines for the final 30 minutes with a sore leg.

With a bigger prize than a win over the Maori at stake, coach Steve McNamara didn't take any risks with his star halfback.

But, with only two substitutes on the interchange bench, England couldn't repel a fired-up Maori outfit.

Fullback Kevin Locke kicked a penalty from in front of the sticks with just three minutes remaining to secure the draw but it will be the English who will be hurting, both physically and mentally, the most.

The biggest concern is Morley. He will go for a scan on his injured arm today and McNamara wasn't predicting what they might find.

The durable front rower went into the match with a slight back injury but injured his arm early on and was already suited and booted by early in the second half.

He is one player England won't want to do without. Morley is one of the game's best props and a damaging runner and defender and he had talked only days previously about how proud he was to be captaining the side for his first tour in place of the injured Jamie Peacock.

"We should know in 24 hours where he is at," McNamara said as Ben Westwood was getting stitches to a cut on his forehead behind him. "It would be devastating for Adrian [if he was out of the Four Nations] but this is what rugby league is about and why you have a squad.

"I am really pleased by the exercise, without the injuries obviously. We have played Wales, France [in the past] and put 60 or 70 points on teams. It does us no good whatsoever further down the track.

"We have to be a lot better next week. We will be up against a side of better quality ... but we will be fresh and ready."

McNamara will hope Tomkins is there, although his injury didn't look as serious as Morley's. The diminutive No 7, who has been outstanding all season in leading Wigan to the UK Super League title in his first full season, looks a tricky customer to pin down.

He darted and jinked his way through the line almost at will and also tried chip-kick variations to keep everyone guessing.

The Wigan halfback has had an outstanding season in really his first full year in the UK Super League and could be one of the stars of the Four Nations if opposition sides aren't alert to the threat he poses.

He scored England's second try when he outpaced the Maori cover defence and created the first when he took the line on and offloaded to centre Ryan Atkins.

For as good as England looked, the Maori looked devoid of ideas. They tried to outmuscle England but found a pack more than up to the task. England's defence was excellent and the Maori didn't look like scoring in the opening 40 minutes.

Once they scored in the 52nd minute, however, the game changed. They took advantage of a tiring England side and attacked relentlessly, scoring further tries to Aaron Heremaia and Rangi Chase. They could have snatched a late winner but Chase had his field goal easily charged.

"That last 20 minutes, I was looking at them and they were blowing," said Timana Tahu, who was playing for the Maori for the first time to honour his late father. "They are in for a big shock. They couldn't even get out of their own half. Good luck to them in the Four Nations."

New Zealand Maori 18 (B. Thompson, A Heremaia, R. Chase tries; K. Locke 3 gls) England 18 (R. Atkins, S. Tomkins, S. O'Loughlin tries; G. Widdop 3 gls). HT: 0-18.