Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their maiden home victory over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick got a welcome lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks secured their top ranking, George has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to raise a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the first half last time. But also, have a clear gameplan which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a several changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's current capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
