England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their maiden home victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a timely boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the expanded squad revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding comfortable victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks cemented their top ranking, George has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to raise a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the first half last time. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the squad preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that the team's present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of matches owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded 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 success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
