England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their first home triumph over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
England host New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and though South Africa cemented their number one ranking, George described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Facing 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 players,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a gear when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the first half last time. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, 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 closing games out. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, in addition, believes that England’s current capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you 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,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
