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Peacock: We'll show our teeth
Win or bust will bring the best out of England, skipper Jamie Peacock defiantly predicted today.
England must beat New Zealand in Huddersfield this evening to qualify for next Saturday's Gillette Four Nations final at Elland Road.
It is a cup-tie situation for the hosts and Peacock – the Leeds Rhinos forward – feels that plays into the home side's hands.
Most of the Kiwi team play in Australia's NRL, where sudden-death games are a rarity and Peacock insisted: "It's knock-out football and fortunately, we are all used to that, with the play-offs system and the Challenge Cup. I think that will help everyone.
"In the NRL, unless you make the play-offs, you're not used to playing in knock-out football, but we are.
"It should bring the best out of the team. The best players like to perform well under pressure and there's pressure to win and expectation to win." Peacock is expecting a battering from the Kiwis' giant pack.
New Zealand only need to avoid defeat after drawing with Australia in their opening game and then thrashing France last week.
Results so far have made New Zealand the bookies' favourites to go through to the final and Peacock admitted: "Any side that's coached by Stephen Kearney is going to be a good side.
"It is going to be a physical game, every game against the Kiwis is. That goes with the territory.
"You know it's one of those games when you're going to come off and be sore at the end, but hopefully we'll be sore and happy. They have good outside-backs as well and they play with some flair.
"We know it will be a very difficult challenge, but it's one we are capable of succeeding in."
England have stuttered through the competition so far, performing poorly in the first half of both games, against France and Australia, before improving after the break.
Peacock, below, reckons training and preparation this week has indicated that a big performance is on the way, but he admitted a strong first half is crucial.
"We've had two half-performances really," he said. "It's about stringing a full one together now.
"We have started well, but we dropped off after about 15 minutes in both games.
"I think it's about playing better in that 15 to 30 minutes period.
"We need to focus on being better in that period. I don't think we need to change the way we do things, it's more of an attitude thing."
An England victory today would go some way to atoning for the two defeats New Zealand inflicted en-route to winning last year's World Cup.
Peacock, though, insisted revenge is not an issue – and he insists England are in better shape now.
"I think we are in a better environment," he said. "We haven't spoken about last year.
"We've spoken about what we are doing right now and wanting to play well this year."
Most of the England team have been playing almost continual rugby since the beginning of February.
Defeat today would bring their marathon season to an end, but Peacock's desperate for one more week at the coal face.
"These opportunities don't come up very often," he said.
"To get into the Four Nations final would be fantastic, then we want to go on and have another crack at the Aussies.
"It is difficult to train at the moment, but mentally I am still there, so I can get myself right for the games. That's what I'm doing at this time of year."
England coach Tony Smith has shuffled his side, dropping Tom Briscoe, Lee Smith and Danny McGuire.
Three-quarters Peter Fox and Chris Bridge come in on the right-flank, Sam Tomkins switches to stand-off and Kyle Eastmond is promoted off the bench to scrum-half, with Jon Wilkin recalled among the substitutes.
Though Leeds recruit Greg Eastwood has joined the Kiwis' casualty list, the only change to their starting line-up sees 19-year-old Kieran Foran replace injured centre Steve Matai.
Captain Benji Marshall said: "I've been willing for him to get a game.
"He's one of the most talented young players I've seen."
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Weather for Leeds
Thursday 24 May 2012
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