Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their maiden home victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach has received a welcome lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the 37-man group announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England will welcome the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks cemented their top spot, the captain described New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team's only victory over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks 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 Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to raise a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the first half last time. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both took knocks against the Islanders but have been included in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great test for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s current ability to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
