Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a timely lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing featured in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
England will welcome New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and while the Springboks secured their number one spot, George has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all we can to win that game.
“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 squad and they seem to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we could have been better in the opening period this week. But also, have a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been selected in the group preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
