England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the expanded group announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run 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 a year ago, when England endured multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and while the Springboks cemented their number one spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting 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 playing here. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they appear to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the first half this week. But also, develop a clear gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the squad preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, in addition, believes that England’s current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
