England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their maiden home victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Fixture
England's head coach has received a timely boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding comfortable victory over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and though South Africa cemented their number one ranking, George described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's only victory over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks 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 visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, have a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both took knocks against the Islanders but both have been selected in the group getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current ability to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
