ENGLAND will need to take advantage of the platform Wolves vice-captain Chris Hill helps to lay if they are to secure their first international series win since 2007.

Wolves’ player of the year was magnificent in defeat as New Zealand squared the Autumn International Series with a 9-2 success over Steve McNamara’s side in the first rugby league game to be staged at the Olympic Stadium in London at the weekend.

Hill is expected to lead from the front row again when England meet the Kiwis in the sold-out decider at Wigan’s DW Stadium on Saturday, kick off 1pm (BBC1).

He led the defensive effort to keep the tourists at bay in his opening spell in the second Test, then it was his monster drive that paved the way for a try from a Josh Hodgson grubber when he returned in the second half but fellow impressive front rower James Graham was unable to ground the ball.

Setting the standards at international level has been prominent with Hill since he switched to Warrington from Leigh.

He was one of the national team’s top performers in the run to the World Cup semi finals in 2013 before England suffered last-gasp heartbreak to Shaun Johnson’s winning six-pointer for the Kiwis.

And he stood tall again against the best of the NRL when England pushed New Zealand and Australia close in the Four Nations tournament Down under in 2014.

England have made two changes from the 19-man squad they selected last week and it confirms Wolves' Ben Westwood and Ben Currie will not have been called on for any end-of-season international duty despite being part of the 23-man squad.

Half-back Matty Smith is named in the squad alongside Huddersfield Giants winger Jermaine McGillvary, replacing Huddersfield’s Leroy Cudjoe and Wolves' Westwood.

Smith, who plays for Wigan Warriors, has not played for England since last autumn’s 16-14 defeat to New Zealand in Dunedin.

McGillvary, Super League’s leading try-scorer from the 2015 season, is hoping to make his England debut on Saturday.

Both Smith and McGillvary will be eager to secure their respective places in the final 17, which will be announced by Coach Steve McNamara 90 minutes before kick off on Saturday.

“We have had a great week with our preparation and the players are ready to take on a strong New Zealand side,” said McNamara.

“The players are well aware of the importance of the game and the improvements we have to make from our previous matches to give ourselves every chance of beating New Zealand.

“We will have to be at our best to win, but we’ll relish the pressure of playing against a quality team in front of a full house at Wigan.”

England 19-man squad (professional club and community club in brackets):

John Bateman (Wigan Warriors, Bradford Dudley Hill)

Joe Burgess (Wigan Warriors, Ince Rose Bridge)

Thomas Burgess (South Sydney Rabbitohs, Dewsbury Moor)

Mike Cooper (St George Illawarra Dragons, Latchford Albion)

Liam Farrell (Wigan Warriors, Wigan St Patricks)

Brett Ferres (Huddersfield Giants, Smawthorne Panthers)

James Graham (Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs, Blackbrook)

Ryan Hall (Leeds Rhinos, Oulton Raiders)

Zak Hardaker (Leeds Rhinos, Featherstone Lions)

Chris Hill (Warrington Wolves, New Spring Lions)

Josh Hodgson (Canberra Raiders, East Hull)

Jermaine McGillvary (Huddersfield Giants, Deighton Juniors)

Sean O’Loughlin, captain (Wigan Warriors, Wigan St Patricks)

James Roby (St Helens, Blackbrook)

Matty Smith (Wigan Warriors, Blackbrook)

Kallum Watkins (Leeds Rhinos, Latchford Albion)

Elliott Whitehead (Catalans Dragons, West Bowling)

Gareth Widdop (St George Illawarra Dragons, King Cross)

George Williams (Wigan Warriors, Wigan St Patricks)

New Zealand Kiwis coach Stephen Kearney has named a largely unchanged line-up for the third and deciding test against England at Wigan’s DW Stadium on Saturday.

Utility Kodi Nikorima, who was a late change at half in last week’s playing line-up and took the field in jersey 19, will run on in 7 this time.

The only other change sees Gerard Beale replace Tuimoala Lolohea in the extended 19-man squad.

In the process, Kearney keeps faith in the group that ground out a 9-2 victory in London, levelling the series at 1-1.

“These lads got the job done last week and it was a good performance from them,” says Kearney, who has now won more games (23) than any other Kiwis coach before him.

“I didn’t feel there was a need to change the team.”

With victory last week, Kearney (23-16-1) moved past Frank Endacott (22-11-2) for the most wins by a Kiwis coach.

NZ squad: 1-Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 2-Jason Nightingale, 3-Jordan Kahu, 4-Dean Whare, 5-Shaun Kenny-Dowall, 6-Peta Hiku, 7-Kodi Nikorima, 8-Jesse Bromwich, 9-Issac Luke, 10-Sam Moa, 11-Kevin Prcotor, 12-Tohu Harris, 13-Adam Blair, 14-Lewis Brown, 15-Martin Taupau, 16-Ben Matulino, 17-Alex Glenn, 18-Isaac Liu, 19-Gerard Beale.