England's captain Cautions Squad Against Stand in Awe at All Blacks' Reputation
Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their maiden home victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Clash
England's head coach got a welcome boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England endured six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and while the Springboks cemented their top ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to raise a level when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we might have improved in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a defined gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Team Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against the Islanders but both have been selected in the group preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We aim 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 developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present ability to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
