HAVING played against Papua New Guinean players in the past, I know all too well they punch above their weight.
Itâs strange really because theyâre not the biggest team â others will be bigger than them but pound-for-pound theyâre one of the strongest nations, thatâs for sure.
Coming through some groups will be tougher than others but in Papua New Guinea, rugby leagueâs the national sport and their fight against England is going to be huge.
Weâve seen images and footage of what itâs like for games there, so this quarter final will be massive in PNG.
England came through the group stages pretty comfortably but this will be a case of laying a platform and giving the half backs something to play from.
The pack will need to get on the front foot â you get over the gain line, you get quicker play the balls the pack can run on to and find spaces.
If you donât make those yards up the middle, itâs a lot harder to create something. England will certainly be reliant on their pack getting on the front foot and then they can get it out to the likes of Dom Young.
Iâm sure heâll be looking to add to his try tally â but it all starts with that physicality.
Theyâll have to really be on the case but we saw against France they started well then let them back into it. If theyâre going to make an impact on the whole competition, theyâve got to be better than that.
Thereâs no doubt this will be a test as when it comes to the knockout stages, itâs do or die. Lose a game and thatâs you, you go out. Thereâs no second chance.
If England want to win the World Cup, theyâll have to win the next three games but PNG really have nothing to lose. Everyone will expect England to win and win pretty comfortably.
So PNG have an opportunity to go out and prove the doubters wrong.
If they go a try or a couple of tries up, itâs important to stick to what you know and keep that composure. If you go a score down and try and chase things, you can end up in even more trouble.
The best teams in the world â whether itâs in rugby, football, tennis or cricket â have that composure, they donât get rattled. They know at some point theyâll break through. Thatâs what England have got to do, try and make sure PNG donât get momentum.
Once England get theirs, they have to close the door â without taking anything away from France, allowing them back into it made things a lot harder.
Teams like Australia and New Zealand will give you very little. England have to keep building. Get through this game and a semi-final and hopefully by the time the final comes around, theyâll be in great form and ready to go.
Hopefully today will be a good day all round with two wins as the women play before the men â the Princess of Wales will be there.
But in World Cups, people can cause upsets â thereâs no second chances from now.
JASON Robinson is an ambassador for Vodafone Business, Official Technology Partner to the RL World Cup.