Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive comfortable victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight 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 home nations grand slam alive, and though the Springboks secured their top spot, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do everything 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 at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the first half last time. But also, have a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that England’s present ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
