Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their maiden home triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man squad announced on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa secured their number one ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's only victory over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” said former captain George. “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 this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a gear when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, have a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not emerging 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 cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against the Islanders but both have been selected in the group preparing to face New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s present capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
