| RAY FRENCH AT THE RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP England face New Zealand in the World Cup semi-finals on Saturday, and Tony Smith's side will be desperate to avoid a repeat of last weekend's 36-24 defeat to the Kiwis.
England's defending in that game was atrocious, there's no other word for it. After 28 minutes England were leading 24-8. That is a winning score.
Their subsequent collapse was down to complacency and the wrong attitude. England just held their hands up and allowed New Zealand to walk all over them, and you can't do that in international rugby.
I think the physicality of the game out here has come as a bit of a shock to some members of the England team. I think a lot of them believed the hype about how good a side they were.
There are a lot of good players who put in top performances week in, week out in Super League. But they've learned that standards here are higher.
On Saturday England will have to attack, they've got to take on the Kiwi pack. You can't score tries and you can't get the territorial advantage unless you take their pack on and England need some very strong running from the forwards, particularly from Jamie Peacock, Adrian Morley and James Graham.
I expect hookers James Roby and Mickey Higham to play, and I think they can play a key role. They've played well out here and are two players you would exonerate from any blame for England's defeats.
They've shown that England have the players to take New Zealand and Australia by surprise, and it's through them England can make inroads into this Kiwi side.
In Sunday's semi-final, Australia take on Fiji. The hosts are of course massive favourites. It will probably be a walk over, it could be a record score, but that doesn't matter.
I think it is a wonderful advert for World Cup rugby that a team like Fiji, who have battled and played good rugby, can be challenging Australia in Sydney for a place in the World Cup final.
Ray French will be commentating on BBC TV's coverage of England v New Zealand.
Ray was speaking to Paul Atherton | 
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