England's skipper has warned that the team 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 weekend.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow 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 narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks secured their number one ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team's sole win over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting 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. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they appear to step up a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we might have improved in the opening period this week. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s present capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded 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 now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
