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 Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those losses came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and though the Springboks cemented their top ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to step up a level when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. Additionally, develop a clear gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Team Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been included in the squad preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
