England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the expanded group announced on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team endured multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks secured their top spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. 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 best. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to step up a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the opening period last time. But also, have a defined gameplan which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging 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 placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against the Islanders but both have been selected in the group getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable 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 closing stages of matches owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
