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 maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and though South Africa cemented their top spot, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's only victory over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“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 squad and they seem to step up a level when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams 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 eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that the team's present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
