Internationals / George Riley / 07 November 2008 / Leave a comment

This game should serve only as a semi-final curtain raiser but, after their worst ever result in a World Cup, England have an opporutnity to put things right against New Zealand, says George Riley.

The result may not affect their semi-final place, but England are in dire need of a performance against New Zealand to banish the hurt of humiliation by Australia. As long as the Aussies dispose of Papua New Guinea, England will play New Zealand in the semi-finals, so this game should serve merely as a curtain-raiser, and more importantly an opportunity to put things right.

That 52-4 Aussie humbling represented England's worst ever defeat in a World Cup. The outcome may not have been a surprise, but the manner of the defeat was a stunning setback to Tony Smith's preparations.

I spoke to Tony on Friday morning, just 24 hours before their clash with the Kiwis, and he was his trademark spirited self. Smith is adamant that there is a top-quality England side hiding in the shadows of two awful displays, and expects an immediate response.

While that may be just what England need, the omens appear grim. Smith's hand has been forced by injury. After gambling by naming only four prop forwards in his squad, Smith is now down to three after a broken finger ended Maurie Fa'asavalu's tournament. And with one eye on a probable semi-final with New Zealand, Smith has gambled by keeping some key players fresh, blooding some new names, and hoping the Kiwis aren't in the same vicious mood as Australia were at Melbourne's Telstra Dome.

There will be first appearances of the tournament for the likes of Jamie Jones-Buchanan and Harlequins captain Rob Purdham as England (2.52) seek a morale-boosting win. I fear New Zealand (1.7) will be too strong for a much-changed England, but remain optimistic that we will finally see England unleashed in the semis.

With both sides bidding to preserve themselves for a rerun of this fixture in the last four, I wouldn't be surprised to see a lack of intensity on both sides. Yes, England badly need a positive performance to banish the memory of the walloping by Australia, but one eye surely must be on the last four.

That said, the indifference shown in the first two games means places are up for grabs for that Kiwis semi-final. Rob Burrow and Danny McGuire need to find their spark in the halves, and McGuire could well push his claim with Leon Pryce carrying an injury. Centre Paul Sykes and forwards Ben Westwood, Purdham, Jones-Buchanan, Mickey Higham and Jamie Langley are all set for run-outs, and the carrot of a semi-final place should up England's tempo.

England to score the first try would be shrewd, although I expect New Zealand to prevail by a couple of scores. I'm hoping for big performances on the wing from Mark Calderwood, who had a shocker against Australia, and Lee Smith who returns from injury looking to add to his debut hat-trick against Papua New Guinea.

We should finally start to see what this England side is capable of, but the Kiwis with the dangerous Lance Hohaia and Tommy Leuluai look to have too much firepower. I'd take New Zealand by 12 points to overcome a much-improved England side, to set up a perfectly poised semi-final between the two sides next weekend.