England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their first home victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
England host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding comfortable victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team endured multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks cemented their top ranking, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's sole win over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a gear when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the opening period this week. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, 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 closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick'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 the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that the team's current capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”