England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their maiden home triumph over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach 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 Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form 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—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa secured their number one spot, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. 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 everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Team Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with captain the lock, the flanker, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's current capacity to break away in the closing stages of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
