England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their first home triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Fixture
England's head coach got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man squad announced on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
England will welcome New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and while the Springboks cemented their top ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's only victory over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a gear when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, develop a clear strategy which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way 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 finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the squad preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, 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 Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that the team's current capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed 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.”
