England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded group announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and while the Springboks secured their top spot, George described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible talent,” said 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 playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half this week. But also, develop a clear strategy which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his side, with captain the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been selected in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s present ability to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you 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 Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
