England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those losses came against New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks secured their top spot, George described New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing 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 best. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to step up a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the opening period this week. But also, have a defined gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Changes
The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the group getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, in addition, believes that the team's current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
