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 secure their first home victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks cemented their top spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible players,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a several changes to his side, with captain the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the group getting ready to take on 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 quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's present ability to break away in the closing stages of games owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
