Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their first home victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the expanded squad revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
The home side host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and though the Springboks secured their top ranking, the captain described New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud 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 at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, have a clear gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the squad preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
