England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
England host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive comfortable victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks cemented their number one ranking, George described New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they appear to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we could have been better in the opening period this week. But also, have a clear gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
The number eight, in addition, believes that the team's present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of matches owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
