Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and though South Africa cemented their top ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the opening period last time. Additionally, have a clear gameplan which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been selected in the squad getting ready to face New Zealand.
“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 evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, 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 the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
