Sky Sports’ Will Greenwood believes that England’s “outstanding” recent performances against New Zealand have put them back amongst the world’s top four rugby teams.
After edging out England 16-15 in a Dunedin thriller, the All Blacks came from behind to keep their 30-year unbeaten run at Eden Park intact, a 24-17 victory giving them the 2-0 series win.
Despite the losses, England had opportunities to win both games and looked a vastly different side than the one that finished fourth in the 2023 Six Nations.
Since then, England have finished third in the 2024 Six Nations and made it to a Rugby World Cup semi-final against the eventual champions the Springboks, losing by just one point in a dramatic contest.
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England were greeted to Eden Park by the iconic All Blacks Haka as they look to respond to last weekend’s defeat in the second Test
Indeed, the incremental improvements under Steve Borthwick have become most evident on the tour to New Zealand and for Greenwood, England have cemented themselves as one of the “supreme” teams in rugby once again, that can compete at home 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 told Sky Sports.
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Immanuel Feyi-Waboso crosses for the first England try in the second Test against New Zealand
“That is a massive amount of progress. Four Tests in the Autumn, they will identify all four of those and they will absolutely believe that, when everybody is fit and back, that they can win all four of those.
“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 incredible one-handed Marcus Smith interception saves a certain New Zealand try in the second Test
Earl: We have progressed, now we have to learn to win
Ben Earl also believes that there has been a rapid progression in the England team that was on full display against New Zealand.
However, he thinks the next step is “learning to win” when the game is on a knife’s edge.
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Following the second Test defeat against New Zealand, Ben Earl insists England will only get better after two close matches against the All Blacks
“You can see the progression in this team,” Earl told Sky Sports.
“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 to the group, credit to the coaches. We have come a long way but we have got to learn to win in those tight 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 probably didn’t and now it is some thinking time for the summer.
“We are only going to get better because of this.”