England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach got a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded squad revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and though the Springboks cemented their number one ranking, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. 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 gear when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the opening period this week. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not emerging 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 solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been selected in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, 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 valuable test for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
