Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their first home victory over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
England's head coach has received a timely boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and though South Africa secured their top spot, George described New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of the All Blacks 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’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they appear to step up a level when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, have a clear gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter 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 captain the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the squad preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that the team's current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
