PLANS to send an SOS to Sean Long were dashed when the St Helens scrum-half was finally ruled out of Great Britain's Don't Drink Drive Test RL series against New Zealand.
Calls were made for the return of the 2000 Man of Steel following Britain's 30-16 defeat in the first Test at Blackburn on Saturday.
Long had insisted that he would be fit in time for the second Test at Huddersfield on Saturday but further X-rays on his fractured jaw have ruled out any chance of an imminent comeback.
"The injury has not healed sufficiently and unfortunately he won't be available for the series," Great Britain coach David Waite said.
With Long's St Helens team-mate Keiron Cunningham also ruled out of the remaining two matches with a dislocated elbow, Britain have lost no fewer than nine potential Test players through injury.
A 10th casualty, current Man of Steel Paul Sculthorpe, is making progress in his battle to recover from a torn thigh muscle but he remains a major doubt for Saturday.
"He's a day-by-day proposition for us," said Waite. "We hope he will be available for this one, if not then we hope he will be available for the next."
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