Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their maiden home triumph over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a timely boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable victory over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those losses came against New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on Saturday to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and while the Springboks cemented their top spot, George described New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's only victory over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to 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 at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to step up a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, have a defined gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a several changes to his side, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the group getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks 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 last year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
