Great Britain (8) 26 Tries: Johnson 3, Senior Goals: Deacon, Sinfield 4 New Zealand (24) 42 Tries: Webb 2, Vatuvei, Webster, Toopi 2, Rauhihi Goals: Jones 7

Paul Johnson scored a hat-trick of tries but Great Britain got their Tri-Nations campaign off to losing start at Loftus Road in London.

The Lions opened the scoring with a Paul Deacon penalty but soon found themselves 12-2 down as the Kiwis capitalised on a string of mistakes.

Britain trailed 24-8 at the break but sensed victory when they scored two tries at the start of the second half.

However, late scores from Paul Rauhihi and Clinton Toopi dashed home hopes.

Lions vice-captain Brian Carney will want to forget the game as quickly as possible after a nightmare performance.

If Brian Carney comes in for stick, then I think it's unfair Kevin Sinfield Read Kev's column in full

The former Wigan winger looked uncharacteristically shaky from the start and was at fault for New Zealand's second and third tries.

His weak tackle failed to halt Manu Vatuvei. Then he knocked on to concede possession to the Kiwis, who went over through Jake Webster.

It could have been worse for Carney had a second effort from Vatuvei not been ruled out by the video referee.

Paul Whatuira just fails to escape the clutches of Stuart Fielden

Not even Johnson's heroics could save Britain, who paid the price for a string of errors.

The Bradford star scored his first try when he found a gap in midfield and raced away for a 40-metre try.

Then, after the fit-again Keith Senior had scored the home side's second after the interval, he doubled his tally following a driving run from Bulls club-mate Stuart Fielden.

That score brought Britain to within four points of the Kiwis, but Brian Noble's team went 30-20 down when Toopi bagged his first touchdown of the night.

Have Your Say Your reaction to GB's defeat

Johnson twisted over for his hat-trick just before the hour and Kevin Sinfield kicked his fourth conversion to make the gap four points again.

But, after Lions debutant Rob Burrow had dropped the ball close to the tryline, the Kiwis sealed victory with tries from Rauhihi and Toopi.

We needed a hit-out... we were very rusty in the first half Lions coach Brian Noble More reaction

Brent Webb also scored a brace of tries for New Zealand, who top the table with two wins from three games.

In what could turn out to be his last international game, scrum-half Stacey Jones kicked seven out of seven conversions for the victors.

Great Britain: Wellens, Carney, Gleeson, Senior, Pryce, Sinfield, Deacon, Fielden, Cunningham, Peacock, Gilmour, Johnson, Ellis.
Replacements: Burrow, Morley, Walker, Fozzard.

New Zealand: Webb, Webster, Whatuira, Toopi, Vatuvei, Vagana, Jones, Rauhihi, Tony, Wiki, Kidwell, Solomona, Guttenbiel.
Replacements: Anderson, Asotasi, Pritchard, Lauitiitii.