Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their maiden home triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Crucial Clash
England's head coach got a timely boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded group announced on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks secured their top spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. 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 peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to step up a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, develop a clear gameplan which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis 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 View and Team Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford 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 preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, in addition, believes that the team's present capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder 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 priceless lessons.”
