Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their first home triumph over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach has received a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded group revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
England host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a commanding 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those losses came against New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and though the Springboks cemented their top ranking, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible players,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. 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.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to step up a level when they come to 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 defined strategy which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, 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 figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji but both have been included in the squad preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present capacity to break away in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
