Sinfield calls for improvement

Kevin Sinfield insists it is 'do-or-die time' for England
10 November 2013

England captain Kevin Sinfield is convinced his side are making significant progress in their World Cup campaign but warns they will need to step it up as they prepare for the knockout stages.

Steve McNamara's men swept aside plucky Fiji in their final Group A fixture at Hull on Saturday, coming from 6-0 down to win 34-12 and clinch the runners-up spot and a quarter-final at Wigan next Saturday night.

Their opponents will be the losers of Monday's final Group B match between France and Samoa in Perpignan and Sinfield says his players will need to find some more improvement ahead of the game.

"There is still loads for us to fix up," he said. "Steve won't be entirely happy with the game but it's still early doors.

"We're three in and hopefully we've got three more to go. It's do or die now for everybody.

"We've got to learn some lessons quickly again but we'll roll our sleeves up and get ready for next week."

There were a few worried faces among the near-capacity crowd of 25,114 at the KC Stadium when Fiji took the lead with Eloni Vunakece's 33rd-minute try.

But Sinfield carved out an equalising score for second rower Ben Westwood just before the break and England ran riot early in the second half with five tries in a devastating 15-minute spell.

"We'd gone very close a few times and I felt we just needed to get one try and it would settle us right in," Sinfield said.

"Half-time probably came at a good time for us. It let us re-group and talk about some things and, as you saw, we were a whole lot better at the start of that second half.

"We tried to do that first half but some of those passes didn't stick.

"I felt we played the whole game with a great intensity and great speed but we were just a bit too hot with the ball in the first half and forced one or two passes.

"In the second half we were a lot more composed. We played with the same intensity but the balls and passes seemed to stick."

Former Bradford forward Sam Burgess, who missed the previous week's win over Ireland through suspension, had a massive influence on his return and sparked the purple patch with the key moment of the match.

He took advantage of a wicked bounce from Sinfield's restart to the second half by gathering possession and within 25 seconds had charged over for his seventh try for his country which went a long way towards him clinching the man-of-the-match award.

"It was brilliant to have somebody like that in your side," Sinfield said.

"I must say I thought the whole pack was outstanding. Mickey McIlorum at nine was aggressive and very strong for us and then you've got someone like Sam who was obviously refreshed, having the week off, to come in and be big and strong and physical.

"We knew what the game was going to be like but for him to really stand up for us was fantastic. He was a worthy man of the match."

Burgess' try put England on the front foot and, as Fiji turned spectators, Sinfield's half-back partner Rangi Chase worked his magic to get second rower Brett Ferres and winger Ryan Hall over for tries.

On a roll, replacement hooker Rob Burrow finished off a break by George Burgess to touch down and Sam Tomkins got Hall over for his second on 55 minutes to take his total for England to 19 in just 18 appearances.

Sinfield succeeded with five of his six conversion attempts, three of them after taking a heavy head knock.

"I was in cloud cuckoo-land for a few seconds I think," the skipper said. "I had pins and needles everywhere so it was a little bit scary for a second but I'm alright now."

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