Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and though South Africa secured their number one ranking, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both took knocks against the Islanders but have been selected in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s current ability 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, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
