Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their first home triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded group announced on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side host New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa secured their top ranking, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class talent,” said 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 playing here. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year 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. By no means 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 final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against the Islanders but both have been selected in the squad getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's current capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I question among the squad 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 very, very priceless lessons.”
