Racking up at least 40 points in all their games at the Rugby League World Cup has honed the Kiwis attack to perfection according to five-eighth Kieran Foran.
The defending champions are yet to be tested during the tournament, their latest win a 40-4 victory over Scotland in the quarter-finals on Friday (Saturday AEDT).
Foran believes an abundance of time on attack has helped forge their combinations.
“In these tournaments, you build each week and I think we’re doing that,” he said.
“We’re working on combinations and building our shapes and structures. Each week that we get to play with each other, we get stronger and stronger.
“Getting to work with each other week in and week out, you get to understand each other’s games, which is always handy at this time of the tournament.”
The Kiwis’ closest game to date has been their opening 42-24 pool play win over Samoa, which was followed by a 48-0 victory over France and a 56-10 pasting of Papua New Guinea.
The Kiwis are growing in confidence as they head into semi-final week, despite the prospect of facing an English side hardened by a tougher run in, which included a 28-20 loss to Australia in the tournament’s opening match.
Foran doesn’t believe their easier road to the semis will be a disadvantage when they come up against England.
“It’s hard to look at it and get a yes or no on that one. We feel like we’ve played good enough footy to put on these scorelines on,” he said.
“Whether we are going get put under a lot of pressure this week remains to be seen. We’ll prepare for a much bigger game and harder contest no doubt.”
Foran is under no illusions as to the task at hand.
“We’re here to go back-to-back, not to get knocked out in the semi-finals. It’s going to be a huge contest for us, we know what we’re up against.”