England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their maiden home triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
England's head coach got a welcome boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and available for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
England will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa cemented their top spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a level when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, develop a clear strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the winning end 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 put 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 good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Changes
The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been selected in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
The number eight, in addition, believes that England’s present ability to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
