Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis 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 in contention for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half 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 top ranking, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably 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 are going to do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to raise a level when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we could have been better in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple 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 changes to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against the Islanders but both have been selected in the squad getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's current ability to break away in the closing stages of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
