Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their first home victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Before Crucial Clash
England's head coach got a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man group revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive comfortable victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks secured their top ranking, the captain described New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's only victory over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do everything 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 seem to raise a gear when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, have a defined gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been included in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's present ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
