England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa secured their number one ranking, George described New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “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. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt 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 could have been better in the opening period last time. Additionally, have a defined gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. 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 figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the group getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, in addition, believes that the team's current ability to pull clear in the closing stages of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named 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 joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
