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 home victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and while the Springboks cemented their top spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team's sole win over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. 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 peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, have a clear gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus 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.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each took knocks against the Islanders but both have been selected in the group getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said Borthwick. “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 going to be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that the team's current ability to break away in the closing stages of games owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like 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 man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
