England coach Steve McNamara. Photo / Getty
England are dismissing any talk of favouritism ahead of tomorrow's clash with the Kiwis, labelling the New Zealand side "a world class team".
The home side are favourites on both hemispheres for the first test, tipped by most pundits to achieve their first win over the Kiwis since 2011.
They
certainly look well placed to do it. They have an experienced side, who have been together for a long time, and a core of NRL talent. The English forward pack is one of the few on the planet that could match the Kiwis and Gareth Widdop is probably the best play maker - and definitely the best goal kicker - on either side. Plus they have pace and power in the backline, with 2015 Super League Man of Steel Zac Hardaker about to be unleashed into the international arena.
And they are facing a Kiwis side high on confidence and belief but shorn of five or six key players, the kind of personnel that are almost irreplaceable in a test match situation.
But the England camp have shrugged off talk of an inevitable victory tomorrow.
"I didn't know [we were favourites] but we won't really concentrate on that too much," said Canberra and England hooker Josh Hodgson. "We just have to worry about ourselves and put into practice what we have been training on in the build up with these camps. If we do that I'm confident we'll do a good job."
