England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their maiden home victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick got a welcome lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the 37-man squad announced on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
The home side host New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive comfortable victory over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa secured their top ranking, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to raise a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the opening period this week. But also, develop a clear gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his lineup, with captain the lock, the flanker, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current ability to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
