Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their maiden home triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England endured six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and though South Africa secured their top spot, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to raise a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. Additionally, have a clear strategy which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his side, with captain the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against the Islanders but have been selected in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said the head coach. “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
The number eight, in addition, thinks that England’s present ability to break away in the closing stages of matches owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
