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 first home victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
England's head coach has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks secured their number one ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do all 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’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to step up a level when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we could have been better in the opening period this week. Additionally, have a defined gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out 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 solved everything. But we’ve placed 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 sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but both have been included in the squad preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented 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 next week’s will be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, in addition, thinks that England’s current capacity to break away in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing 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 priceless lessons.”
