England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
England's head coach has received a timely boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded squad revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa cemented their number one ranking, the captain described New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's sole win over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing 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. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the opening period this week. Additionally, have a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Changes
The England coach is likely to make a number of changes to his side, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against the Islanders but have been included in the squad preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded man of the match 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 enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
