League: Kiwis solid in Anzac test loss

The question whether the Anzac test should be saved wasn't really answered last night. A scoreboard that reflected another solid Kiwis' effort in defeat is probably all the ammunition needed for those who would like to see the fixture killed off. A winless streak that remains unbroken back to 1998 is indeed a bit of a yawn. Look past the result and the case becomes less clear. Last night's match wasn't a classic but it was a full-blooded affair befitting an international contest. As is so often the case, the Kiwis weren't quite clinical enough to slay a beast with borderline mythical powers - cut off a classy Kangaroo's head and another simply grows in its place. But neither were the Kiwis bad. They had their moments, some of them thrilling, such as Shaun Johnson's scorching 90m intercept try. The Anzac test may have some dubious qualities, but without it Johnson's highly encouraging test debut wouldn't exist. And many of the 35,000 odd spectators that turned up probably would have stayed home and watched the Blues - a cruel fate indeed.