England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their first home triumph over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Before Crucial Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa cemented their top ranking, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“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 appear to step up a gear when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the first half this week. But also, develop a clear strategy which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Changes
The England coach is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been selected in the squad preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current ability to break away in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing 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 extremely valuable lessons.”
