Is British rugby league back on track?

David Waite's side put in a superb performance in Wigan to defeat the Kiwis for the first time since 1993.

Keith Senior gave Britain the lead after seven minutes and Martin Gleeson made it 8-0 before the break.

Stacey Jones scored early in the second half to give the Kiwis hope, but Man of Steel Paul Sculthorpe extended the lead and made a late Ali Lauiti'iti try academic.

Have the Lions restored their pride?

This debate is now closed. See below for a selection of your emails.

GB have always had the players to compete against the southern hemisphere! All that was lacking was structure, set up and continuity. With a full-time coach and a full international calendar we can compete.

I would rate Scully, Keiron, Radlinski and maybe Farrell as some of the best players in the world; of course they can challenge.
Chris Ando, Liverpool, England

Christopher Smith (below) says we will never live to see Britain beating Australia, even in a one-off game. Er, we have already seen it and not that long ago.

Of course, Aussies don't like to let facts get in the way when spouting off their usual drivel about sport. I honestly believe that the lowest achievers in Australian schools are the ones who end up as sports writers for the newspapers.

Anyway, after the hammering Britain took here in Oz, the drawn series against the Kiwis has to be viewed as a great result, especially after losing the first game.

Australia are still the best around, but the Kiwis aren't too far behind. It won't be easy for Britain to close the gap but rugby league needs it to happen to regain some sort of credibility.

And don't let the Aussies worry you. They have to butt in on debates that don't involve them as, if you take away their Government funded sporting success, they have little left to brag about!
Brian, English, living in Australia

Congratulations to the Lions! But I really worry about the future of British rugby league.

When our union team were slaughtered 76-0 in Australia, we were able to build up a formidable reputation through playing reputable northern (and even some southern) hemisphere teams home and away, but avoiding the 'big three' of the southern hemisphere on their own turf.

Moreover, the strength of the other British nations better enables English players to carry a genuine threat down under when the Lions tour.

So whilst I would be the first to admit that the Union side have to some extent dodged bullets, and even underachieved at the last, in recent years, it is nonetheless true that England are now respected, even feared, by the southern hemisphere, and carry a self confidence that could well bring them the big prize.

Such is the power of winning, for our players and for their opponents. My concern is: can GB league do the same thing? Only months ago it looked like men against boys in Sidney...where are the regular 'safe-ish' but winnable games?

I worry that there aren't enough opponents. Without doubt, the World Club Tournament must help bridge this difficulty, but we only have to look to football to see that club success does not map precisely onto national glory.

But enough doom and gloom: well done GB, let's hope it's a stepping stone to greater things! PS: could you give union Radlinski please, so we can win the World Cup at a canter...
Thomas Lambert, United Kingdom

What a great spectacle this series was. GB were terrific - even without Long, Cunningham and Radlinski. But the fire went out of the kiwis and the GB boys knew it. Did anyone see the look on Robbie Paul's face through the match as he watched in the stand? He was spooked. I have another question - what happened to Lesley Vainokolo?
Dan, UK

Well done GB. That is what the game of rugby league is all about - skill, endeavour and pure passion. Good to hear so many positive words of calculated encouragement on these pages from the real RL supporters.

The game of rugby league is a noble one with due consideration given to the losing team and dignified celebration from the winning team. It's just a pity that our Kiwi friends corresponding on these pages can't be as upstanding as the Trojans on the field.
Ian P, Scotland

It's certainly a step in the right direction, but if we were more clinical in our finishing we could have won the last two Tests comfortably. To build on this success, the new season should now be geared towards the three Tests with Australia in 12 months time. Can't wait! Or should that be Waite?
John Haigh, UK

Great to see the Lions actually playing like a team for more than one match in a row. We could have piled on more tries in the first half, but the teamwork is still improving. We may not take the Ashes next year, but British rugby is coming out of an international slump in fine style.
Daniel, UK

At last, a Brit team that holds on to the ball! Any team that denies the Kiwis possession is likely to beat them. They lack stamina, get frustrated and make mistakes when kept under constant pressure.

That's why the Aussies never mind being behind to them at half-time - they know they'll fall away late in the game. Now it seems the Brits have learned that lesson as well - a great game!
Chris Wheatley (Brit in exile), New Zealand

Together with the 64-10 result, the progress GB have made throughout the series shows the importance of warm-up matches. We need regular internationals and an established team.
Colin Sullivan, Oxford, UK

A record crowd aggregate for a Test series against the Kiwis, and three great games. A chance for league fans to forget club rivalries and stand together. The revival of Farrell, the confirmation of Sculthorpe and Morley as international class and the emergence of Fielden and Gleeson. Combine that with an encouraging England A performance and tour. Yes - the Lions and Rugby League have restored their pride!
MJM, UK

I wouldn't go as far to say we are a force we played a weakened side but you can only beat what is put in front of you! It's just good to be able to savour something, it's been a long time since we had something to cheer about in a Test series, long may it continue!
Danny, Wigan

We have definitely salvaged a lot of pride. Of course people will try and say that the Kiwis were understrength, but they were still strong. We should have beaten them by a lot in the last Test, we just weren't clinical enough.

The Australian Tests are obviously very important now to see how we have come on.
Michael Dalton, Widnes, UK

Excellent to see the Lions win and break a nine year duck. The form of the Kiwis had been dropping off throughout the series and they had some injuries, but all credit to the GB team, who seem to be working well together.

On track, yes, but only so long as they don't have to play the Australians in Sydney again. A long way to go still.
Howard, England

Well done the Lions! When it looked like we were out we clawed it back. A great day for English Rugby.
Wilf Odgers, England

OK, the media back in NZ will probably say that the Kiwis had injuries, but don't forget, the Lions did also have eight regulars out of the series before the three Tests even happened.

So we were dramatically weakened, plus Cunningham got injured, but Scully came back and he has got to be my favourite sportsman right now, even if I am a Leeds Rhinos fan.
Richard Joyce, Leeds, United Kingdom

A superb evening for GB rugby league. James Lowes was the key man for me but there were 17 men of steel tonight!
Jim Crosbie, UK

GB a force? Hahaha...all they did was DRAW a three-match series with fellow no-hopers NZ. Anyone who believes GB are a force in RL will believe anything.

None of us will ever live long enough to witness GB defeat Australia in either a series, one off International or tournament.
Christopher Smith, United States of Australia

The Kiwis were injury-riddled and looked tired, but the best performance so far from GB and Ireland. The best tackling I have seen from the home team in recent years and leagues better than just two weeks ago.

The real winner was the game of RL which has now seen two really exciting down-to-the-wire games in a row. Thought the comments made on TV where bang on the money - GB need to get together more often to bring the best out of themselves. Even if it is only to play club sides or minor nations.
Peter Hayes, England

This is a real step forward but to say we are a force again is as much of an exaggeration as saying we were doomed after the Australia game. Anyway, nice one lads! Onwards and upwards.
Andy Okell, England

Nothing much has changed for GB, they drew a series and took the cup via being the default first time hosts. NZ were injured, tired, and stating in the lead up as glad to be going home.

GB will make out of this result what they want, but they have changed nothing over the years, and will continue not too.
Jimmy Simms, Australia

Pride is certainly restored and it's a boost for the sport in this country, but it's only one match. Once again, a British sporting team has fallen short of really stamping its authority on an important series.

Once the series can only be tied, it's a pretty hollow victory. No-one will be more aware of that than the New Zealanders who give their views on this page. If they want respect, they must hit the ground running in future and be more commanding from the outset.
Nick Davidson, England

An excellent performance all round tonight. I think there's something in what Eddie and Stevo had to say on Sky about warm up games before a series, but we also need to have a serious local representative series, if nothing else but to give players from out of the big four their chance to claim a squad place.

Look how well Danny Orr and Horney did. I can't believe Briers never made it into the squad, nor any Widnes players. I know these are quibbles, but seriously: greater competition for places can only be a good thing. Well played lads.
Andy, Hull, UK

You Poms are amazing. One win and you start mouthing off. You did not win the home series, it was a draw. English rugby league and union have a lot to do to match the big boys.

Clive's boys beating trainee sides from the south by very small margins is nothing to be happy about. Both the Kiwis and Wallabies are smiling behind the media.
Andrew, Australia

As a diehard Kiwi supporter it was disappointing to see NZ lose but the English deserve to win and I enjoyed their approach to the game.

NZ coach Freeman has done well up to this point but just like in his playing days, his ego affected his ability...hence his failure to bring in specialist players and his tactics suffered.

The Kiwis looked jaded and the Poms grew stronger every game. Freeman got cocky and never saw that we were in for a big game. All credit to the English, let's hope we can deal with those Aussies and lift the standard and popularity of international league to greater heights, because we sure need to.
Rafer, Australia

I think people were very despondent after the thrashing GB received earlier in the year against the Aussies. I think this result puts that game into perspective and shows the seeds of a successful system, which can make the Lions competitive again, are well and truly ready to sprout.
Mat S, Melbourne, Australia

International rugby league is a joke. Australia are miles ahead of anyone, NZ and GB are about the same, and everyone else (Papua New Guinea, Lebanon, Fiji) are non-professional joke teams who only attend World Cups to boost numbers.

Even if the Kiwis beat GB by 50 points, Britain would still be the third best team in the world.
Andrew, New Zealand

Well done Great Britain & NI on the win against the Kiwis. You showed heart to overcome a talented New Zealand side. Hopefully we're on the way back to a competitive international RL scene...
Benny Boy, Sydney, Australia

I bloody hope so!
Guy, Australia

Congratulations to all the players and coaching staff on a great game and a fantastic rugby league series.There where some fantastic individual performances, notably Sculthorpe, Fielding, Farrell, Forshaw and Senior.

It was good to see the side playing with Pride and Passion, now let's not get carried away but build for when the Aussies go over next year.

Let's blood some of the younger players. The England A side was a good idea.The boys have made me a proud Pommie down under which isn't very often on the sporting front.
Roy Jewitt, Australia