England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their first home triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
England's head coach has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing featured in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable victory over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England endured multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and though South Africa cemented their number one spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise 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 clear gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
The number eight, in addition, believes that the team's present ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
