Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
England's head coach has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man squad announced on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those losses came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa secured their top ranking, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand 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 Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do all 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 seem to raise a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the first half last time. Additionally, have a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure 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 emerging on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put 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 Outlook and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a several changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji but both have been selected in the squad preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that England’s current capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
