Will Greenwood and Kyle Sinckler praised Maro Itoje's impact as England came close to scoring a rare victory against the All Blacks in New Zealand; watch the second Test at Eden Park live on Sky Sports Action from 7.30am on Saturday; kick-off 8.05am
Tuesday 9 July 2024 06:32, UK
Will Greenwood believes Maro Itoje is getting back to his best for England after the second row's strong showing in the first Test against New Zealand in Dunedin.
The Saracens forward was immense at the lineout, winning five and coming up with a steal, along with winning one turnover and making 11 tackles on the defensive side.
Itoje also scored the tourists' first try of the game, finishing from a pick and go after Chandler Cunningham-South was stopped short of the line, and former England centre Greenwood is in no doubt the 29-year-old is hitting the highest levels again.
"Players go through different phases in their career," Greenwood told Sky Sports. "It's really difficult to be the very best in the world every single Saturday but he's getting back to being that sort of belligerent player.
"He's adding bits and pieces - not only is he world-class defensively, he's also starting to contribute with ball in hand, nipping over for a five-pointer.
"Alongside George Martin, that's a world-class pair of operators in the second row. As England look to build units, they can tick off the second row.
"They can play against anyone in the world with that No 4 and 5."
Itoje has long been considered a big part of the England leadership group and previously captained the U20s, although has been continually overlooked to skipper the senior team.
His former international team-mate Kyle Sinckler believes the other responsibilities he has in the side are a big part of the reason why head coach Steve Borthwick opted to select Jamie George as Owen Farrell's successor instead.
"From my perspective, I just feel he's got so much on his plate, and that's maybe how the coaches see it," Sinckler told Sky Sports.
"He's in the leadership group, he runs the lineout, he's a game manager, and that's along with him performing well. Maybe the coaches feel the best thing for him is to not put more [pressure on].
"Maro is not going to be hollering, telling you what to do. He leads through his actions."
Nick Evans has warned England will face a much-improved New Zealand team when the sides head to Auckland for the second Test on Saturday, live on Sky Sports.
The clash at Forsyth Barr Stadium marked the first game in charge of the All Blacks for ex-Crusaders head coach Scott Robertson, who had only brought his squad together barely two weeks earlier.
Former New Zealand fly-half Evans was impressed with how England's defence caused problems for the hosts, but expects Robertson's side to pose a much different proposition in attack and at the lineout this time around.
"New Zealand have been together for 10 days, there was going to be a cohesion issue around what they were trying to do," Evans told Sky Sports.
"The lineout faltered, as did their attack in the second half. That was due to England's defensive system and what they were doing around the tackle.
"New Zealand's scope to get better is huge. Next week there will be more cohesion and continuity.
"That was the one England had to win. England will get better, they'll have that database of analysis - but New Zealand will get better as well."
The All Blacks have not lost at Eden Park for three decades, with that last defeat at the iconic Auckland venue coming when they went down 23-20 to France way back in 1994.
England forward Alex Coles knows they have plenty of improvement in them after coming so close to scoring a first win over New Zealand in their own back yard since 2003 last weekend.
"We've got a pretty clear game-plan, which doesn't change week to week and focuses on our fundamentals of things which English rugby has traditionally done well and suits this squad," Coles said.
"I don't think we'll go away from that too much, but it's about fixing up those small little areas, those few percenters, that we perhaps fell away from which cost us at the weekend."
Watch the second Test between New Zealand and England at Auckland's Eden Park on Saturday July 13 live on Sky Sports Action from 7.30am; kick-off 8.05am. Also stream contract-free with NOW.
