England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Fixture
England's head coach got a timely boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team suffered six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses came against New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and though South Africa cemented their number one ranking, George has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible talent,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do everything 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’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we could have been better in the opening period this week. Additionally, have a clear gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the squad getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
