England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their maiden home victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since suffering an injury 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
The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on Saturday to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and though the Springboks secured their number one ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of tight games 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. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a several changes to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's present capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
