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Men's Rugby League Makinson dazzles at Anfield as England beat New Zealand

A Tommy Makinson hat-trick led England to an impressive win against New Zealand yesterday in a bruising and entertaining game of test rugby at Anfield. 

The Wigan-born St Helens star was in lethal finishing form, putting on a show for the TV cameras and for the 26,234 in attendance in Liverpool.

New Zealand had lost a Four Nations final against Australia here in November 2016 and for England it was a chance to play on the big stage having missed out on that occasion. 

The Kiwis were also looking to bounce back from defeat in the first of this three match test series in Hull last week.

Their team, littered with NRL stars, had defeated Australia 26-24 in Auckland in the build-up to this series, ending the Kangaroos 13-game winning streak in the process. 

England are now proving just as tough an opponent as the World Champions were in that southern hemisphere clash.

England opened the scoring via a penalty after Jesse Bromwich went in later than a Northern Rail train on Sam Tomkins. A scuffle followed and Bromwich could count himself lucky to escape 10 minutes in the sin bin for the initial offence. Jake Connor remained and slotted his kick between the posts.

A period of New Zealand dominance followed, but they only managed one try from it. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak took Kodi Nikorima’s pass and sliced through the England defence in front of the Kop.

Jordan Rapana crossed the line twice but lost the ball on the stretch with his first attempt and was held up on the second occasion after referee Gerard Sutton double-checked with video referee Ben Thaler.

England scored just before half-time to liven the Anfield crowd. George Williams sent a long ball out to the wing for Makinson and the winger dashed to the line, diving across to cap a good first half. Connor was unable to add the extras from the touchline.

The Kiwis were quick out of the traps in the second period. Nikorima sent Watene-Zelezniak through and the full-back sprinted towards the line before feeding Ken Maumalo who went over in the corner. Shaun Johnson added the extras from the same point Connor had missed previously.

Tempers flared as they had in the first half and it was again Tomkins on the receiving end of a late hit, this time from James Fisher-Harris. Makinson’s second arrived shortly after as England began to take control. 

Fast hands from Williams and Jonny Lomax found Connor who flicked brilliantly over the top for the winger to dart over, but the centre was again unable to convert.

Connor himself was able to level the scores, touching down in the same corner Makinson had minutes earlier, but he again failed to add the extras as his attempt rebounded off the post.

Makinson thought it was about time his teammate had an easier kick, so when he received the ball in traffic on the left touchline after more great play from Williams, Lomax and Connor, he cut inside, turned on the afterburners and crossed by the posts for his hat-trick. But this time kicking duties fell to Tomkins who slotted over with ease.

The match-winning try rounded off a brilliant performance from Makinson, but also from England’s left edge who had troubled the Kiwis throughout, building on a solid team display in defence.

The sides now meet in the final test at Elland Road next weekend with England having secured a series win with a game to spare.

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