Kidwell: We'll need our `A' game

Kiwis assistant coach David Kidwell. Photo/Getty.

If the Kiwis team have some complacency after their recent unbeaten streak, a few minutes with assistant coach David Kidwell will shake it out of them.

The New Zealand side haven't tasted defeat for more than 18 months, in a record breaking run that has seen them win the Four Nations tournament and break a long Anzac test hoodoo.

The sequence has included three successive wins over Australia, as well as victories against England and Samoa. The last time the Kiwis were on the wrong end of the scoreboard was the 2014 Anzac test last year, a spell that is unprecedented in the modern era.

It's led to the number one ranking but Kidwell is a realist, knowing that anything less than their best will see England take a vital series lead on Sunday (Monday NZT).

"Every England team that I have come across and seen play are tough," said Kidwell.

"This England team is no different...they have got great halves, big forwards and try scorers out wide."

"We have to be on our `A' game to match them. They are on their home patch, in their home environment, in front of friends and family. They have a lot of guys in form and are just coming off the end of their season."

The two sides have been extremely well matched in recent years, with only two points separating them in their last two encounters. The players are also familiar, with more than one quarter of the England team picked from the NRL while coach Steve MacNamara is an assistant to Trent Robinson at the Roosters.

"We are building for the test on Sunday...we know it is going to be one hell of a contest and we are getting ready for a battle." said Kidwell.

"We know England is an outstanding team but we also know that when we play to our potential we are also an outstanding team and that is the challenge we have to meet."

The Kiwis returned from Perpignan yesterday afternoon, after four days on the continent.

There were some community activities, a free day where many of the team headed to Barcelona and took scooters around the city, as well as some intense training sessions at the home of the Catalan Dragons.

"France was great and I think all of the boys enjoyed it," said Kidwell. "I had a taste of the snails [and] tried to immerse myself into the French culture. But the most important aspect was to be together, train hard together."

The Kiwis have their last scheduled training for the week tomorrow (Friday NZT), followed by a weights session. In the evening some members of the squad will attend a special dinner honouring the 150th anniversary of Hull FC, before the captain's run at KC stadium the next day.

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