England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention 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 the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and though the Springboks secured their number one spot, George described New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to raise a gear when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period this week. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the group preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's present ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous 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 man of the match against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
