England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their first home victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a welcome boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England host the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team endured six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa secured their top ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“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 unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to raise a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half last time. Additionally, have a clear strategy which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases 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 Outlook and Team Changes
The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against Fiji but have been included in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, in addition, thinks that the team's current ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue 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 changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
