England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on Saturday to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa secured their top spot, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they appear to raise a level when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the opening period last time. But also, have a defined 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 tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Changes
The England coach is likely to make a number of changes to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
The number eight, in addition, thinks that the team's present ability to break away in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded man of the match 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 sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
