England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Before Crucial Fixture
England's head coach has received a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive comfortable victory over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and though the Springboks cemented their top spot, George described New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team's only victory over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt 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 identify where we might have improved in the first half last time. But also, have a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat last year 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. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but both have been selected in the squad getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented 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 next week’s going to be a great test for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s current ability to break away in the closing stages 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 got the experience to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
