England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man squad announced on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England suffered multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and while South Africa cemented their top ranking, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to step up a level when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the opening period this week. Additionally, have a clear gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been included in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great test for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
The number eight, in addition, thinks that the team's current capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
