England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their maiden home victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, 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 Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks cemented their top ranking, George has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they appear to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all set to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been selected in the squad getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, in addition, believes that the team's present capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
