England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing featured in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
England will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive comfortable victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa secured their number one ranking, the captain described New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's only victory over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to raise a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the opening period this week. Additionally, develop 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 last year for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against the Islanders but have been included in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
