Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the 37-man group revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England will welcome the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team endured multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these 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 the Scots on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and though South Africa secured their number one spot, George has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their history 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 Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to step up a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, have a clear gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how 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 closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer each took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the group getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
The number eight, in addition, thinks that England’s present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was named 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 joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
