England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their maiden home victory over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded squad revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks secured their top spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's sole win over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital 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 step up a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half last time. Additionally, have a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Team Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his side, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the group preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented 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 assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that England’s present capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of games is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named 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 enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
