Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
England host the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa cemented their number one spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe 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’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we might have improved in the opening period this week. But also, have a clear strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a several changes to his side, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against Fiji but both have been selected in the group preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current ability to pull clear 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 setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
