Sky Sports activities’ Will Greenwood believes that England’s “outstanding” latest performances in opposition to New Zealand have put them again amongst the world’s prime 4 rugby groups.
After edging out England 16-15 in a Dunedin thriller, the All Blacks got here from behind to maintain their 30-year unbeaten run at Eden Park intact, a 24-17 victory giving them the 2-0 collection win.
Regardless of the losses, England had alternatives to win each video games and appeared a vastly completely different facet than the one which completed fourth within the 2023 Six Nations.
Since then, England have completed third within the 2024 Six Nations and made it to a Rugby World Cup semi-final in opposition to the eventual champions the Springboks, shedding by only one level in a dramatic contest.
Certainly, the incremental enhancements underneath Steve Borthwick have change into most evident on the tour to New Zealand and for Greenwood, England have cemented themselves as one of many “supreme” groups in rugby as soon as once more, that may compete at house and on away soil.
“If we get away from the small detail of the errors that England made, if we look at the progress that England have made over the last two or three months, I think that puts them back in the top echelon, back in the top four, makes them supremely competitive home and away playing anyone,” Greenwood instructed Sky Sports activities.
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Immanuel Feyi-Waboso crosses for the primary England strive within the second Take a look at in opposition to New Zealand
“That could be a huge quantity of progress. 4 Assessments within the Autumn, they’ll establish all 4 of these and they’ll completely consider that, when all people is match and again, that they’ll win all 4 of these.
“That is what they have got to think about now. The huge disappointment of the loss but holistically, the massive amount of improvement and cohesion and work they have put in to make themselves a really outstanding team that has been beaten 2-0 in a tough place to play.”
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An unimaginable one-handed Marcus Smith interception saves a sure New Zealand strive within the second Take a look at
Earl: Now we have progressed, now we now have to study to win
Ben Earl additionally believes that there was a fast development within the England workforce that was on full show in opposition to New Zealand.
Nevertheless, he thinks the subsequent step is “learning to win” when the sport is on a knife’s edge.
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Following the second Take a look at defeat in opposition to New Zealand, Ben Earl insists England will solely get higher after two shut matches in opposition to the All Blacks
“You can see the progression in this team,” Earl instructed Sky Sports activities.
“If someone had said to me at the end of the World Cup that we would go to New Zealand and come down to eight points over two games, I would have said probably not.
“Credit score to the group, credit score to the coaches. Now we have come a great distance however we now have received to study to win in these tight video games now.
“It is probably just a bit of street smart, isn’t it? Knowing when you have got teams on the rack or on the edge and making the most of that.
“We most likely did not and now it’s some pondering time for the summer season.
“We are only going to get better because of this.”
