We have lost two battles but we are still in the war. You simply cannot perform for 20 and 30 minutes against Australia and New Zealand and expect to win. That's the harsh lesson we have learnt in the World Cup so far. It demands an 80-minute performance by us against the Kiwis tomorrow and an emphasis on the aspect that so often wins you games: defence.

Concede four or more tries in international rugby league and you are in real trouble. That is what we need to rectify in the semi-final. The way we have defended our line at times has not been good enough. The score, as can happen in rugby league, can blow out against you if your defence softens like ours has done. We have underperformed and deserved some of the criticism that has come our way. That is why we have concentrated this week on our defence.

I sense a keener, more desperate edge to us in training. So many of us have been in this situation in Super League play-offs, in having to deliver a win to stay in the competition.

Players have been honest with themselves, owning up to the mistakes, identifying the ways to improve and you will see a committed performance, otherwise we know we will be on the flight home on Monday.

We dominated for a 20-minute spell against Australia, but a six-point return from it was insufficient. Have a stranglehold over such a team for a sustained spell and you must deliver far more. Similarly, no team should lose from 24-8 up - our fate against the Kiwis in Newcastle last Saturday. Minds wandered, especially during the ten minutes that Steve Matai, the Kiwis centre, was being treated on the field of play. It allowed New Zealand to regroup and refocus.

To lose in that fashion was deeply disappointing, but it has spurred us on, unified us in our commitment and redoubled our focus to reach the World Cup final. That's the expectation of us as a team. Not to achieve it would be a bitter disappointment, especially given the support of thousands of supporters who have made the trip to Australia and been absolutely tremendous.

It's a do-or-die situation for us against a well-drilled team under Stephen Kearney, an idol of mine as a player. There's not only him in the Kiwis set-up but Wayne Bennett, the former Australia coach whose name speaks for itself in this part of the world.

We know we can beat this Kiwis team. For half an hour we showed that last week. Tony Smith has prepared us outstandingly for this game and, as players, it is our responsibility to go out and win. There are no excuses.