Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their maiden home victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded squad revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team endured multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses came against New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa cemented their number one spot, George described New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's only victory over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy 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 everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a gear 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. 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 faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way 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. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but both have been selected in the group getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s present capacity to break away in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
