England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their first home victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and though the Springboks cemented their number one spot, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's only victory over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do 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 must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we could have been better in the opening period this week. But also, develop a clear gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a number of changes to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against the Islanders but have been selected in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “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 will be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current 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 got the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
