Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England endured multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa cemented their top ranking, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration 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 before. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to step up a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we could have been better in the opening period last time. But also, have a clear gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year 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 put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a several changes to his lineup, with captain the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against Fiji but both have been selected in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current capacity to break away in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter 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.”
