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Smith rings changes for GB

09/11/2007

Great Britain head coach Tony Smith has made five changes to his team for the third Test against New Zealand on Saturday.

The match is set to be something of an anti-climatic end to the series after the Lions secured an unassailable 2-0 lead with a 44-0 thumping of the visitors in Hull last weekend.

And with the news that the result will make little difference to the series outcome, Smith has chosen to give some playing time to his squad members and rest a number of the players who have starred in the previous two games.

Out goes star stand-off Leon Pryce, who scored twice in last week's victory, as well as winger Gareth Raynor, who has a try in each of the first two matches.

Sam Burgess and Maurie Fa'asavalu are also rested, along with Leeds Rhinos captain Kevin Sinfield, in order to give a first-ever Great Britain start to fellow Rhinos player Jamie Jones-Buchanan.

Smith has also recalled St Helens pair James Roby and Jon Wilkin, who both played in opening win at Huddersfield, as well as former Salford winger David Hodgson and Hull centre Kirk Yeaman.

Despite the changes, Smith says there have been no injury worries and the alterations are all tactical.

"Some have been left out because they needed it and some because they deserved it and also because it was right for others to get a shot," he said.

Full Great Britain squad:

P Wellens (St Helens), A Hodgson (Huddersfield), K Senior (Leeds), M Gleeson (Warrington), A Gardner (St Helens), D McGuire (Leeds), R Burrow (Leeds); A Morley (Warrington), J Clarke (Warrington), J Peacock (Leeds, captain), G Ellis (Leeds), S O'Loughlin (Wigan), J Wilkin (St Helens).

Substitutes: J Graham (St Helens), J Jones-Buchanan (Leeds), J Roby (St Helens), K Yeaman (Hull).