By Dave Woods BBC Sport in Christchurch

Gould predicts Australia will crush Great Britain in the Tri-Nations

Great Britain's rugby league tourists have been written off as "amateurs" who will not win a single game in the Gillette Tri-Nations series.

Pundit Phil Gould - a former coach of New South Wales and Sydney Roosters - says the gap between the games in the two hemispheres is bigger than ever.

Gould insists that GB are "well off the pace in this competition".

"The media always play the game telling us Great Britain are improving. Spare me that rubbish," he added.

If the Kangaroos are serious - and they will be - they'll run up a big score on Great Britain Phil Gould

He added: "They might be capable of the occasional upset against Australia or New Zealand with the aid of a referee giving them plenty of latitude in front of 50,000 fans on a cold night in Manchester, but Great Britain and English club teams are always badly exposed when they visit this part of the world.

"They try hard but have never adequately addressed the weaknesses shown in their football for the past three decades."

Gould, writing in his weekly column in the Sydney Morning Herald, added that Super League as a competition was no better than the average reserve grade game in Australia.

"Their style of play is amateurish," he said. "If the Kangaroos are serious - and they will be - they'll run up a big score on Great Britain on Saturday night."

Gould's outburst has been dismissed by the British camp as they continue to prepare for their second Tri Nations game against Australia at Aussie Stadium in Sydney.

Full-back Paul Wellens, Super League's Man of Steel this year, said: "People are entitled to their opinion and we have freedom of speech.