Wayne: Time to wise up

Papua New Guinea 28

Great Britain

LIONS coach Wayne Bennett has predicted more disappointment unless his bosses are up to the demands of international rugby.

The Lions selfdestructed here in the second half in a bitterly disappointing end to a disastrous tour.

Tonga announced a national holiday in the wake of beating the Lions and Papua New Guinea may well do the same.

With New Zealand also winning twice, it is a tour that Bennett described as “obviously disappointing because we have underperformed”.

But the Aussie, now out of contract, insists the same could happen again if bosses don’t improve the preparation.

He said: “England or Great Britain cannot sit back and think that they can come out of a good competition and have good players and can come in under-prepared.

“Australia come in with an Origin Series behind them, New Zealand came in having played Australia at the end of the season.

“Everyone is doing more preparation than we are. If we want to compete with them, we have got to get back to that level.”

Neither the Lions nor England had a mid-season Test this year and the

World Cup Nines also prevented the Lions having a proper training camp ahead of the tour.

England are expected to play the Kiwis in June and Bennett (above) said: “We definitely do need that. We didn’t have anything this year and it had a bit of impact on us.

“We have not nailed our preparation for the last couple of years.

“We need a 10-day to 12-day period otherwise there will continue to be disappointment.”

Bennett insists he wants a new deal to coach England through to the 2021 World Cup, saying: “I do not think anyone can say I haven’t got the appetite.”

The Lions dominated most of the first half, with Blake Austin touching down and Josh Hodgson grabbing a second try.

But they allowed Edwin Ipape to cross in the dying seconds of the half and the Kumuls then snuffed the life out of the Lions with four secondhalf tries.

Bennett said: “Whilst we have to swallow a bitter pill, the other side of the ledge is that the international game is getting stronger.”

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