McNamara eager to avoid wooden spoon

McNamara wants to avoid the wooden spoon (Getty Images)

England have flown to Auckland looking for a face-saving display after their Four Nations failures. Defeats to New Zealand and Australia have left Steve McNamara's team facing the wooden spoon, should they lose to Papua New Guinea on Saturday.

Despite PNG's two heavy defeats in the competition, they almost beat England in the World Cup in Townsville two years ago, before going down 32-22. McNamara says he will have no problems lifting his players for their last hurrah at Eden Park.

"The players are bitterly disappointed now, but we'll attack next week's game with great enthusiasm and finish on a high," he said.