Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first home triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Clash
England's head coach got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and while South Africa secured their number one spot, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's only victory over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to step up a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the opening period this week. But also, have a defined gameplan which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“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 complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle 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 improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s present ability to break away in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked 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 path now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
