Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first home triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Before Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team suffered six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on Saturday to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and though the Springboks secured their number one spot, George has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” stated 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 are going to 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 exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up 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. But also, have a defined 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 last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against the Islanders but both have been selected in the group getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented the head coach. “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 great test for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
The number eight, in addition, believes that England’s current ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel battle-hardened, 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 awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
