McNamara has eye on future while preparing Aussie downfall (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

McNamara has eye on future while preparing Aussie downfall

4:20pm Friday 13th November 2009

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Steve McNamara hopes England’s ‘evolving’ side take the next big step in their development in tomorrow night’s Four Nations showdown with Australia.

Following an uncertain start to the tournament, England have made steady progress, impressing in the 20-12 win against New Zealand that sealed their final spot.

Assistant coach McNamara is confident and with precocious young talents in key positions throughout the team – notably the half-back pairing of 20-year-olds Kyle Eastmond and Sam Tomkins – he believes their potential is almost limitless.

McNamara said: “They are not the finished article, they know that and we know that. We’ve got one eye on Saturday but one eye on the future as well.

“Everyone has adapted well. A lot of our younger players are in key positions and they cannot just filter in and become part of the group, they have to take control of the group.

“This team is evolving and we are looking to build all the time.”

England showed both faces in their 26-16 defeat against the Aussies in the group stage.

During the first half, a fragile, inexperienced and error-prone England were on display, taken to the cleaners by an accomplished Australia who racked up a 26-0 half-time lead.

But they were tenacious, disciplined and creative after the break, holding their opponents scoreless while running in three tries.

McNamara knows England cannot afford to suffer the same identity crisis at Elland Road tomorrow.

“We will take some confidence from our second-half performance in the first game,” he said.

“But we will have to play well in all departments to beat them. We can’t afford to be slack anywhere on the pitch. Australia are a special team and they have the ability to take you apart.

“Australia are fantastic at executing so concentration on defence is a big thing, realising what’s there in front of us and addressing it.”

The Bulls chief is only made more positive by the team spirit present throughout the camp, something that was criticised during England’s ill-fated World Cup campaign last year.

McNamara said: “There’s a lot of things that were said about the World Cup that weren’t true. Maybe if we’d lost against New Zealand, people would have been saying the same about this squad.

“But they are a good group. There are a lot of young players but, as things develop, it becomes more and more of a unit.”

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