England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form 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 were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and though South Africa cemented their top ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they appear to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the opening period this week. But also, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not emerging 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 solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with captain the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been selected in the squad preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s current capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
