Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their maiden home triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a commanding comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team suffered six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and though the Springboks cemented their number one spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have 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 playing here. We will do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to step up a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, have a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. 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 that game is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against Fiji but have been included in the squad getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle 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 improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great test for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that England’s current capacity to break away in the closing stages of matches owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
