England gets better with healthy competition among players - George Kruis

Saracens back-row George Kruis believes a sense of brotherhood has been developed among the England players under Eddie Jones making them evolve as a team.

Paul Gustard prior to joining England as defence coach made comparisons with the Aviva Premiership club Saracens and that of Manchester United Football Club on how the players performed as close group, enjoying the success of each other and contributing to the success of the team.

Saracens were crowned the double champions last season with wins in Aviva Premiership and European Champions Cup and Gustard who had played and coached at Allianz Park has seen players like Kruis, Owen Farrell, Maro Itoje and Mako Vunipola in close quarters.

"People spoke about the Class of '92 at Man United, well Saracens had their own class," Gustard said.

"Once one started achieving there was enough peer pressure that they all wanted to out-perform each other and strive to do things together. They are a close group."

Kruis who has made a recovery from an ankle surgery and is set to partner Courtney Lawes in second row said the strong bond among the players is not just with Saracens but has extended to England.

"Definitely there's a sense that, as a group, we've got responsibility for each other," Kruis said.

"When you have five or six players coming through together it's like that competition between brothers. It always pushes you a little bit further.

"We've got a good respect for each other which means you have to turn up each week and ultimately play well for each other.

"At Saracens it's dragged a lot of people along with us. We're a very young team still, with a hell of a lot of experience. It's exciting for us.

"And I think it extends to England, I really do. If you look at what England have tried to build here, then there are a lot of similarities here between club and country.

"If you look at results there are a lot of similarities as well. You've got to breed a culture in which people want to improve and constantly push each other."

Kruis also made rapid progress from the ankle surgery and has joined the squad earlier than it was anticipated. Admitting the ankle surgery was necessary, the 26-year-old could not wait to return to action at Twickenham.

"I never gave up playing in these games. I just wanted to get back to playing as soon as I could for either club or country," Kruis said.

"There were few things wrong with the ankle. There was a bit of wear and tear and for the last year, there were two bits of floating bone in the joint.

"I'd been able to play on but more recently it's been shutting down, so after the Toulon game, I spoke to both parties and we decided I needed to get it taken out as soon as possible.

"Before I was struggling with it - I could do the session but I'd want to get off my feet as soon as possible.

"I am really glad I've done it. I've got lots of confidence in the ankle now. I woke up 2 or 3 days after the op and thought it already feels better, the pressure in the foot feels less."

Kruis also said that Farrell's man of the match performance for Saracens against Toulon in his comeback game after three months will be an inspiration for him as he takes on the field after an injury layoff.

"We are in an environment now where you can push yourself in the weeks leading up to it as much as you can. We've got everything available to be in peak condition," Kruis said.

"You've got Owen Farrell who played in the Toulon game, which was pretty much Test match intensity, having had months off. He came back very sharp.

"Things like that give you a lot of confidence. You've got to have a lot of confidence in yourself. If I didn't feel right, I wouldn't be here."