England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Crucial Fixture
England's head coach got a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks secured their number one spot, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's only victory over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a gear when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, have a defined gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Changes
The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to return to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the squad preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s current capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing 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.”
