Great Britain 24-12 Australia Pictures from the JJB Stadium

"Considering the disease in the camp this week it makes it all the more remarkable," said a satisfied Noble.

"We have still got room for improvement and that is an encouraging sign.

"We've done what we wanted to do and reached the final but we've now got another Test next week and we want to keep the momentum going."

Noble also revealed that six of the Lions side had been on intravenous drips this week due to a virus in the camp.

Great Britain skipper Andy Farrell said much was owed to his team's defensive performance.

"They kept coming back at us and at times we were only getting over halfway with our kicks," said Farrell.

"It has to be one of the best defensive displays I have been involved with at international level."

We played our hearts out there in attack and they did the same in defence. They deserve to be in the final Australia coach Wayne Bennett

The 24-12 win ensured the home side a place in the Gillette Tri-Nations final in a fortnight, when they will again face Australia at Elland Road.

Meanwhile, Australia coach Wayne Bennett said he thought his Kangaroos had put in their best performance so far on tour.

"We're not disappointed. They won, but there wasn't a great deal between the two sides," said Bennett.

"We played our hearts out there in attack and they did the same in defence.

"We were trying hard but, as inevitably happens when you're trying stuff out, something gives.

"But that's the best we've played since we've been on tour. They played better than they did in the first game, and so did we.

"But they deserve to be in the final."

And Kangaroos skipper Danny Buderus thought Great Britain's superior ball control was the major factor in their victory.

Buderus said: "We were peppering them in that second half. They defended great, they worked on it and they gelled really well.