England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa secured their top spot, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's sole win over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class talent,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. 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. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we could have been better in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under 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. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a several changes to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the group preparing to face New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen 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, thinks that England’s present capacity to break away in the closing stages of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
