The Kiwis may have written England's chances off but Stevo says they can stand toe-to-toe with them.
England have to be ferocious from the first whistle says Stevo
If you read the Kiwi papers and speak to their fans they are all saying that England have not got a hope in hell of beating New Zealand on Saturday.
They are basing that on the fact that Jamie Peacock is not touring and the fact that Adrian Morley got injured last week. Well that just made our chances even slimmer.
Over here in New Zealand the consensus is that England will lack leadership. However, I think James Graham will do a fantastic job. It was a smart move by Steve McNamara to make him captain and I think it will channel his energies.
Over the last few weeks - especially in the Grand Final, Graham seemed to lose his composure a few times and spent more time arguing with the officials than playing!
Having the responsibility of being captain of England for the first time may mean more weight on his shoulders but he can handle that and he will run his blood to water for England. He will lead by example and he is a very special player.
Getting stuck in
England have to get into this Kiwi side, they have got to move up very quickly and they cannot afford to miss tackles. England's defence has to be ruthless and take no prisoners. I never condone foul play but when it comes to international rugby you have got to play tough and you have to get as close to that line as possible.
Against New Zealand it is going to be dog-eat-dog out there and England had better have a bit of bite to their game.
The Kiwis have made it quite clear that they will try and shut down Sam Tomkins, they know he is our key man. McNamara has made the decision to play him at halfback where he will be closer to the action.
Wigan protected him when he played at fullback so it is going to be interesting to see how he handles the Kiwis coming at him. England really need him to control the game and his combination with Kevin Brown is going to be crucial. We have the forward power so it is up to Tomkins and Brown to create something for our backs.
Marshall his men
New Zealand are a class outfit though and England have to target Benji Marshall. He is the key factor for New Zealand and they build their game around him.
Since he has been made captain he really has blossomed - he has always been a brilliant player but these days he has matured to such a point where he is not only a very good player but also a very good captain and team player.
His combination with Nathan Fien has been brilliant. England's biggest problem is can they shut down Marshall and Fien?
We all know Thomas Leuluai finished the season on a massive high. His man of the match display in the Grand Final was sublime and he was a major reason why Wigan won at Old Trafford.
Ever since he has switched from halfback to hooker has been an absolute revelation. It was one of the reasons why NZ won the World Cup two years ago and his performances have got stronger and stronger. He is going to be one to stop too.
Fullback Lance Hohaia has been very instrumental in their attack, his timing into the backline is outstanding and he was very impressive last weekend.
It is going to be battle out there and England will give as good as the get - hopefully better!
Star man
The one man who I think who will stand out will be Stuart Fielden. Since 2006 he has carried around the weight of being slapped down by Willy Mason. This is the time for him to get resurrected on the international stage and show the world-class player he is.
Stevo says
We've got no chance? What a load of rubbish. Mark my words we have the players and the skill to beat the Kiwis. The big question is do we have the belief? I have been staying in the same hotel as England and what I have seen from them is very impressive indeed. They are positive and working hard as a team to get the job done. Don't write them off!
