Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their maiden home triumph over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and though the Springboks secured their number one spot, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to step up a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the first half last time. Additionally, develop a clear gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with captain the lock, the flanker, and Ford all set to return to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer each took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, in addition, thinks that the team's present capacity to break away in the closing stages of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
