Coach Brian Noble was in bullish mood yesterday, insisting his improving Great Britain side would be a match for the red-hot Kiwis at Huddersfield on Saturday.
Noble resisted the clamour to bring Leeds Rhinos winger Mark Calderwood into the squad following his two-try performance for England against New Zealand at Warrington on Sunday and dismissed suggestions his side lacked pace.
"I disagree," he said. "It was a much-improved performance but we probably didn't execute on our fringes as well as we should have.
"For people to show their speed you have got to put them into space. That is probably what we didn't do as well as we'd like to but, if we show the same amount of improvement this week, I am confident we can expose some holes in the Kiwis."
Stand-off Iestyn Harris, whose partner Becky is now a week overdue with the couple's second child, is the only major injury doubt. The Bulls half is to have a scan after suffering a 'stinger' injury to his shoulder.
Britain must win their remaining two matches and overturn a large points differential in favour of the Kiwis and Kangaroos to make the final. But Noble said his side, who
struggled to create scoring opportunities in Saturday's 20-6 defeat by Australia, would not dramatically change their approach against the Kiwis.
"Winning the game is our first priority," he said. "If you go out there with the mentality of trying to score 50 points, that is when you get your butt kicked.
"The emphasis is on performance again but we understand full well the ramifications if we don't get a win."
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