Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham victory over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa cemented their number one spot, George has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to step up a level when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the opening period this week. Additionally, develop a clear gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all set to return to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but both have been selected in the group preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, 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 great assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's present capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
