England's skipper has warned 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 visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded group revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
The home side host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run 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 defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and while the Springboks cemented their number one spot, George has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that England’s present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
