Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their first home victory over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa secured their top ranking, George has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's only victory over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world right now. They’re an 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 opening period this week. Additionally, develop a clear 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 bit of heat last year for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Team Changes
The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the squad getting ready to face 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 evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current ability to break away in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad 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.”
