England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their first home victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team endured multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks secured their top ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks 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 New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible players,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team 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 might have improved in the first half this week. Additionally, have a clear gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each took knocks against the Islanders but have been included in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides 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 rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, in addition, thinks that England’s current capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
