Local bookmakers make England favourites over Kiwis

Kiwis captain Issac Luke. Photo / Getty

The Kiwis may be the number one nation in the world - for the first time in their history - but that hasn't swayed home opinion about the series outcome.

Most of the local bookmakers have installed England as favourites ahead of the three test series which begins on Sunday (Monday morning NZT) in Hull.

It's mainly a reflection of the absentees from the Kiwis, including Shaun Johnson, Kieran Foran, Simon Mannering and Jason Taumalolo. It might also be due to the historical difficulties the Kiwis have faced in the UK, with only two series wins across the past 100 years.

England are paying between $1.50 and $1.60 with most local bookies to win the series, while a plunge on the visitors would return between $2.75 and $3.00 with the major betting outlets.

The odds on a whitewash also reflect the disparity; a $1.00 investment will return $4.50 on an England 3-0 sweep but a Kiwis 3-0 result delivers a whopping 10/1 with one agency.

Those odds might feel like patriotism gone crazy - given the Kiwis' results over the past 18 months - but they are not as far-fetched as they might seem.

New Zealand has taken care of Australia in their last three clashes - two of them by convincing margins - but this is not the same Kiwis side that enjoyed that unprecedented streak, due to the missing personnel.

And England has pushed the Kiwis extremely close in the last two meetings; there was the 20-18 win at Wembley in the 2013 World Cup, inspired by some last minute genius from Shaun Johnson, then a 16-14 victory in the Four Nations last year in Dunedin.

This is also close to a full strength England team. George Burgess is a loss from the forward pack but he will be well covered by James Graham, Chris Hill, Mike Cooper and Tom Burgess while Broncos centre Jack Reed is missing but he has barely played for England in the last few seasons anyway. Sam Tomkins' absence is a blow, but Zac Hardaker is the reigning Super League Man of Steel and was probably going to be the first choice.

And to further add to England's advantage, they have a strong record against the Kiwis at both Hull and Wigan, the venues for the first and third tests.

- By Michael Burgess in Hull

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