England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the expanded squad revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa secured their number one ranking, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, 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 last five fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to raise a level when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half last time. But also, develop a clear gameplan which can apply as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a number of changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been included in the group getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s present capacity to break away in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
