England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach has received a timely boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding 38-18 win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England endured multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa cemented their number one ranking, George has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, 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 awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to step up a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. But also, have a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. 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 tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji but both have been included in the group getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's current capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder 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 interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
