England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their maiden home triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
England's head coach has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England suffered multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks secured their number one spot, the captain described New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to raise a gear when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we might have improved in the first half this week. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against Fiji but both have been included in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s present ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
