England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham victory over the visitors 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 in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and though the Springboks cemented their top spot, the captain described New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a level when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the first half this week. But also, develop a defined 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 emerging on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
