England will dethrone defending champions New Zealand in their Rugby World Cup semi-final if their key players deliver, says Matt Dawson.
New Zealand have won 15 of their past 16 meetings with England and all three of their previous World Cup encounters.
But former England scrum-half Dawson believes Eddie Jones’ side have the ability to upset the odds.
“England have some world-class players. If that group play to their best, England will win,” he told BBC 5 Live.
“It starts with individual performance. The front row, Maro Itoje and Owen Farrell are world class. Billy Vunipola, Ben Youngs, Manu Tuilagi and Elliot Daly must step up to that level. Tom Curry and Sam Underhill have got to obliterate the opposition.
“And then England have got to assume that they make no mistakes at the weekend – no offsides, no penalties, nothing. They have got to play the perfect game.”
New Zealand have been in ominous form so far in the tournament, beating southern hemisphere rivals South Africa in the pool stages, before a comprehensive 46-14 victory over Ireland in the last eight racked up their 18th successive Rugby World Cup win – a run dating back to start of the
2011 edition.
In Japan, New Zealand have averaged more points (51), tries (7.3), metres made (642), clean breaks (22), defenders beaten (39) and offloads (17) per match than any other team,
But Dawson believes Jones’ decision to pick two playmakers in his backline, with George Ford at fly-half and Farrell at inside centre, aims to unpick the All Blacks defence.
After defeat in the first Test against New Zealand in 2017, the British and Irish Lions similarly paired Ireland fly-half Johnny Sexton with Farrell in midfield and managed to draw the three-match series.
“Jones wants to play fast and furious with lots of phases,” added Dawson. “He sees how New Zealand reorganise as a weakness.
“I was surprised that George Ford was recalled. I have the tiniest bit of concern about him playing under the most enormous pressure. He sometimes hasn’t been able to replicate his club and international form. We’ll find out. Eddie doesn’t see it like that.”
