Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their maiden home triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded squad revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding 38-18 victory over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team endured multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and though the Springboks cemented their top ranking, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side 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 recent clashes at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do everything 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 right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to raise 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 clear gameplan which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a several changes to his lineup, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the group preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that England’s current ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said 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 journey now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
