Bennett is mastermind of our surge into semi-finals
Head coach has told England of sacrifices they need to make to be successful at World Cup
It did not take long for me and the other England players to see why Wayne Bennett has enjoyed such a successful career as a coach. It was crystal clear from the first training session. He is not one to scream and shout, to chuck things around and be angry if standards slip or training is not being done as it should. He is more likely to be staring at you, and then he will simply tell you how it is.
He is the sort of coach who gets to the point. He is straight-talking and will let you know if something needs to be better. Personally, I like that approach. It certainly gets the best out of me on an individual level, and it makes sure that all the players hold themselves accountable for the errors we make. There is no shirking of the responsibility or blaming mistakes on any of the others.
His record, including seven NRL Grand Final wins, shows that his methods work. He has been coaching for so many years now, gaining all of that experience of winning trophies, and he is passing that on to us. He often talks to us about the sacrifices we need to make in order to be successful, and we have massively improved as a squad since he arrived.
Away from training and matches, he will join in with the lads and have a laugh with us. We have obviously had plenty of time to get to know him properly out here, which can only help. He was in charge for last year’s Four Nations, of course, but because the tournament was played in England we all had the opportunity to go home for a few days in between matches, so it was not as relentless as it has been Down Under.
It helps that he is more than happy to join in with the social side of things, away from the field, and he is great company with his dry sense of humour. But when we are out on the pitch, it is deadly serious. That is what I like about him: there is no arguing, no animosity. He just wants to get the best out of you. And if you are not doing your best, you can be sure he will let you know.
One player who has been at his best is Jermaine Mcgillvary, who has scored six tries this tournament from the wing. He is so strong when he carries the ball and the defenders out here are finding it really difficult to bring him down. That is helping the team escape from trouble and it allows us to get out of our own end.
It also breathes confidence into the side, and whenever we have an opportunity near the opposition line we try to take advantage by getting Jermaine on the ball.
The way my relationship with him on the field is developing has been a source of real encouragement, especially because it feels like we are improving game by game. We talk a lot on the field and it is showing.
Sometimes these connections come naturally between players, and Jermaine and I are certainly on the same wavelength. I can sense where he is going to be at any time, and he knows whether he should help me by staying wide or darting back inside.
We will need to be as cohesive as ever tomorrow in the semi-final against Tonga, when we must produce a cleaner performance than our scratchy showing in last weekend’s quarter-final victory over Papua New Guinea.
I was pleased with how I played, but as a team we were not happy with the sheer number of sloppy errors. This week has been about trying to fix those little things and focusing on keeping hold of the ball more.
We have been trying to force our passes at times and that is where the errors are coming from, so we need to make sure that we keep hold of the ball. We will trouble any side when we have possession so it is just a case of keeping it in order to maintain that pressure on Tonga. Knowing we are so close to reaching a World Cup final, we will make sure that happens.
Kallum Watkins is speaking on behalf of Kingstone Press, the official cider of Rugby League.