England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach got a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded squad revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and though the Springboks cemented their number one ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class talent,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to raise a level when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year 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. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that the team's current ability to break away in the closing stages of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
