England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Crucial Fixture
England's head coach got a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England endured multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks secured their top ranking, George described New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back 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 have done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to step up a level when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a quality 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. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that the team's current ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games owes much to their triple close losses 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 build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
