England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their first home victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa cemented their top spot, George described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” 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 Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we might have improved in the opening period last time. Additionally, have a clear strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of close contests 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 latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the group preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present ability to break away in the closing stages of games owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded 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 success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
