'Hands up if you think England can win?' Eddie Jones piles pressure on New Zealand ahead of Rugby World Cup semi-final
Video report by ITV News Sports Editor Steve Scott
England coach Eddie Jones has sought to expose a chink in New Zealand's armour by declaring all the pressure is on the All Blacks entering Saturday's Rugby World Cup semi-final.
England approach a seismic collision at International Stadium Yokohama as significant underdogs but Jones believes they can play without the burden of vast expectation shouldered by their rivals.
The All Blacks are the reigning world champions and are determined to lift the Webb Ellis Trophy for a third successive time, placing them on a pedestal that Jones believes could crumble.
"New Zealand talk about walking towards pressure, well this week the pressure is going to be chasing them down the street. That's the reality of it, that's how we're approaching it," he said.
"We don't have any pressure," said Jones, before asking the assembled journalists whether they rated England's chances.
"Put up your hand if you think we can win? [no one puts their hand up].
"There you go, so no one. No one thinks we can win.
"So there's no pressure on us, we've just got to have a great week, enjoy it, relax. Train hard and enjoy this great opportunity we've got, whereas they've got to be thinking about how they're looking for their third World Cup.
"It is always harder to defend a World Cup and they will be thinking about that and therefore there is pressure.
"We've got nothing to lose, that's the exciting thing for us. We can just go out there and play our game.
"If we're good enough we'll win, if we're not good enough we've done our best."
Jones has guided England since the low point of crashing out at the group stage at their home world cup four years ago.
He's faced New Zealand just the once during his reign - almost 12 months ago - losing at Twickenham 16-15.
But Jones said he was encouraged the 17 of his squad had played the All Blacks as part of the Lions tour.
"They know they're human," he said. "They bleed, they drop balls, they miss tackles like every other player.
"It's our job to take the time and space away so that we put them under pressure."
He also half-jokingly referred to someone apparently filming a coaching session: "So you were the bloke up in the apartment block filming?"
He added: "There was definitely someone in the apartment block filming but it might have been a Japanese fan. We don't care, mate."
England back Anthony Watson was asked by ITV News Sports Editor Steve Scott about the "aura" of facing the All Blacks but said: "With no disrespect to them, I don't see the whole aura there.
"They bleed just like we bleed, there's going to be 23 of them on Saturday, there's going to be 23 of us.
"There just human, aren't they?"
He said that while the All Blacks have had a successful tournament and have been successful for some time, at the end of the day, "they're just rugby players".
Watson said the whole squad was focused on winning - and confident they could pull off a victory.
As for pressure: "I don't think it will bother anyone in our camp. We've just got to embrace it and enjoy the opportunity we've got."
England captain Owen Farrell said one of the key points was not to play the occasion but to play the game.
"It's massively exciting to be part of this occasion at the weekend," he told ITV News.
"I recognise that they're a very good team. Anyone who's been at the top for as long as they have is doing a lot of things right.
"And I think you've a massive amount of respect for that but I don't think for once second that anyone here thinks they're not beatable."
But, the majority of support will be for the All Blacks.
Once Japan lost to South Africa on Sunday, Jones knew they would always throw their weight behind the world champions even though he successfully coached the Brave Blossoms at England 2015.
"There are 120 million Japanese people out there whose second team are the All Blacks," he said.
"I've seen all the All Black jerseys around, I even have to tell my wife to stop barracking for them!
"The Samurais are mystique characters in Japanese history and it's the same for the All Blacks.
"Japanese love the haka and all that goes around that, so that's their second team."