New Zealand coach Michael Maguire has made a case to retain the NRL’s two- referees system, saying the ruck suffers with just one match official.

Maguire’s men edged Great Britain 12-8 in a dour struggle on Saturday at Eden Park, with only three tries scored overall.

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While pleased with his side’s defence, he was frustrated by their inability to create opportunities and apportioned blame to the international model of one referee.

“The attack does come with a bit of ruck speed. I think the ruck speed there just shows what happens when you’ve got one ref. That’s the truth,” Maguire said.

Source: News Corp Australia

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“And it was adjudicated on both teams the same way, so it was exactly the same but as a half, if you can’t generate ruck speed, you can’t get up over the (advantage) line to create the things that we want to do.

“I guess that’s a piece at international level (that) they may look at.”

Maguire’s comments come after new Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V’landys admitted being a fan of the one-referee system.

A call for change however is unlikely to make the agenda when the NRL competition committee gathers this week.

Lions coach Wayne Bennett was reluctant to criticise the state of the ruck following their defeat, which was their second game in a row featuring only three tries.

“I’m not going to go down the ref path. You go and ask them. You all saw the game today. I’m not going to tell you the obvious there,” he said.

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“I know how I want the teams I coach to play; it’s what happens at the other end that determines all that. It has a big influence.”

New Zealand and Great Britain face off in Christchurch next week as part of the Lions’ tour, which finishes with a match against Papua New Guinea.

Maguire confirmed Shaun Johnson will be an option after being dropped for Kieran Foran, who suffered a shoulder dislocation at Eden Park.

Hooker Brandon Smith will also come back into calculations after being stood down for failing to meet team standards.

Ryan Hall joins the Lions’ injury list after dislocating his knee.