Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
England will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak 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 the team endured multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks secured their number one spot, George described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here 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 peak. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a level when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. But also, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Team Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a several changes to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against the Islanders but have been selected in the squad getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s present ability to break away in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
