Great Britain coach Tony Smith said that New Zealand’s complaints about missing players had detracted from his side’s achievements in winning the Test series.

The British side whitewashed the New Zealanders 3-0 by winning the final Test match at the JJB Stadium by 28 points to 22.

Smith voiced his thoughts that Great Britain had perhaps not been given enough credit for their series win against a side normally regarded as the second best in the world.

The Kiwis led 12-0 after just ten minutes of play but Great Britain fought back and ended up winning the game by six points.

After last week’s 44-0 defeat New Zealand coach Gary Kemble complained that his side was missing a number of players through injury and for other reasons.

“We've used 23 players, and there's a few others that weren't available through injury, which we haven't made much of a fuss about, by the way”, said Smith after the 28-22 win.

We’ve got injuries too

“Look, it was a Test series. I just don't get it otherwise, when you start talking about what wasn't here or what wasn't available. Otherwise you'd just list your best 17 down on paper and you wouldn't play.

“Why don't you just cross them off and say 'mine's better than yours' and that's it - end of series?

“Test football is about getting your players out on the field, and whether they want to play or whether they are injured is all hypothetical. More of my boys wanted to play. It's a Test - that's what it's all about. We've got injuries too.

“You can write about it all you want and complain about it all you want, but there's only one way to solve a Test series and that's play each other.

“Go for it. If there's another way, let me know. Sorry, but I just think they have detracted a little bit from our boys.

“There's been a lot of talk about what's not been there, and I don't know if it's been even enough to say 'hey, the opposition have got better a little bit'.

“I don't know if credit's been given over - but maybe we don't need that credit anyway. We'll just get on with it.”

Just missed out

Kiwi boss Kemble said that his side had responded well to the 44-0 hammering inflicted by Great Britain last week in running the British side so close.

“I've just told the players that they did their country proud tonight, and they will learn from the experience,” Kemble admitted.

“They've just missed out on winning a Test series - because in the first Test we lost 20-14, and in this one we've only lost by six points.

“For a young team and a new team they've gone very close to winning a Test series, although the second Test result wasn't good enough and they know it.

“They went out there with the right attitude and they came up trumps, so hopefully they will learn from the experience.

“What they are going to take away from this is going to be great next year, and once we get a nucleus of senior players back it is going to be great for them.”