England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their maiden home victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the expanded group announced on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team endured six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa cemented their number one ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to raise a gear when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji but have been included in the group preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current 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, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
