Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a timely boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
England host the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa secured their top ranking, George described New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to raise 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. Additionally, have a clear gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Changes
The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against Fiji but both have been included in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's current ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
