England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their first home victory over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks cemented their number one spot, George described New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud 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 without doubt the best side in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team 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 opening period this week. Additionally, develop a clear gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” 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 the upcoming going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that the team's present capacity to break away in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
