England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a timely boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded squad revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks cemented their top ranking, George has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Team Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been selected in the squad getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
The number eight, in addition, believes that England’s present ability to pull clear 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 experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
