England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and though the Springboks cemented their number one spot, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's only victory over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to step up a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we could have been better in the opening period this week. Additionally, have a defined gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Changes
The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against the Islanders but have been included in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's current capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of games owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
