England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first home triumph over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
England's head coach has received a welcome boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England will welcome the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England suffered multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks cemented their top spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team's sole win over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand 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 New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” stated former captain George. “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 playing here. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they appear to raise a level when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, have a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side 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 placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the first XV. The wing 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 challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's current capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
