England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their first home victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded group revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding 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 England endured multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and while South Africa secured their top spot, George has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to raise 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. Additionally, have a clear strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Team Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
