Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Fixture
England's head coach got a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa secured their number one ranking, 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 global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the first half last time. Additionally, have a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Changes
The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the group preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that England’s present ability to break away in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
