England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive comfortable victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. 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 defeats came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and though the Springboks cemented their number one ranking, George has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's only victory over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “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. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year 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 placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his side, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the squad preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, in addition, believes 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 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 Earl, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
