England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the expanded squad revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks secured their number one spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible talent,” said the experienced hooker. “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 Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. But also, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure 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 finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the group getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present 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 battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
