England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first home triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks secured their top spot, George has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, have a defined gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a several changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against the Islanders but have been selected in the group getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s present ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed 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.”