England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
England's head coach has received a timely boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man group revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak 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 England endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and though South Africa cemented their number one spot, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, develop a clear gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. 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
The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the group preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want 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 growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, in addition, thinks that the team's present ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, 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 curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
