Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their maiden home victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding 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 England suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa secured their number one ranking, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's only victory over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class talent,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to raise a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we might have improved in the first half last time. But also, 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 lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams 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 will be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I question 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 very, very priceless lessons.”
