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 triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a timely boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded group announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding comfortable victory over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form 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 were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and while the Springboks cemented their number one spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the opening period last time. Additionally, have a defined gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, 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 great assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
The number eight, in addition, believes that England’s present capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”