Shattered New Zealand skipper Ruben Wiki and traumatised teenage sensation Sonny Bill Williams shouldered the blame for New Zealand's defeat at the hands of Great Britain on Sunday - a loss which left the Kiwis in danger of missing the Tri Nations rugby league final.
Wiki and Williams were among the Kiwis' best in their 22-12 loss at Galpharm Stadium but that was little consolation for the devastated duo and their teammates, who must rely on results going their way to make the final at Elland Road on November 27.
"I let my team down and my country," Wiki said.
"I take the responsibility for the game I had today. I'm supposed to lead by example and I came out second best which is really frustrating for me."
Williams continued his brilliant form this season in the first half, scoring one try and having a hand in another as New Zealand took a 12-2 lead into the break.
He created the Kiwis' first try in the 23rd minute for Ali Lauitiiti with a classy off-load and scored the second five minutes later when he raked in a circus pass from Louis Anderson.
"Sonny Bill Williams found some great off-loads," Great Britain coach Brian Noble said of the first half.
"We talked about it, how it would be real handy if we stopped him off-loading. It would make our defence a lot easier.
"It's not just Williams. It's right across the board. If you let New Zealand play, it's like playing the Harlem Globetrotters."
But Williams blamed himself for Great Britain's second half revival, which began when hooker Terry Newton threw a dummy and dived over in the 44th minute.
Williams turned over the ball in the lead-up and then bit on Newton's slight of hand.
"I let the blokes down in the second half," Williams said.
"It's not a good feeling at the moment. I hope to get another chance and I'll take it with both hands.
"The first 10 minutes a couple of 50-50 calls went Great Britain's way and I was part of that. I missed the hooker, Terry Newton. He threw a dummy and went through.
"I don't feel too good at the moment. I am going to stay strong and hopefully get another chance against Great Britain."
Newton's try sparked an onslaught.
Winger Stuart Reardon levelled the scores in the 50th minute when halves Danny McGuire and Sean Long combined, with McGuire batting Long's pass to Keith Senior, who shuffled it to Reardon.
Three minutes later Reardon put the Lions in front following a brilliant run from McGuire.
Several questionable decisions went against the Kiwis early in the second half, with coach Daniel Anderson and Wiki both airing their concerns with the performance of referee Tim Mander.
"There were some huge calls," said Anderson, who could have further headaches in the halves after Thomas Leuluai suffered a shoulder injury in the second half.
"There was crucial plays in the game where I didn't think we got the rub of the green. They're big plays, huge plays in the game.
"We're hurting at the moment because we prepared for this game and we played well for 70 minutes. For 10 minutes we didn't.
"You have to play well for 80 minutes at test level. You can get away with it maybe at club level, but you can't at test level.
"We just didn't have enough petrol in the tank."
There was some consolation, however, for Wiki - he found a local supplier of kava, the native Pacific Island drink.
"I'm drinking kava tonight," Wiki said.
"I found a supplier so it will be a relaxing night tonight and going over the game tomorrow."
