England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their maiden home triumph over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
The home side host New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and while the Springboks cemented their top spot, George described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to raise a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against Fiji but both have been included in the group preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
