England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
England's head coach got a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
England will welcome the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks cemented their number one ranking, George described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class players,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the first half this week. Additionally, have a defined gameplan which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end 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 big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that the team's present ability to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
