Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks secured their number one ranking, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's only victory over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class players,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to raise a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we could have been better in the opening period this week. Additionally, develop a clear gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means 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 good team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain the lock, the flanker, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, in addition, thinks that the team's present ability to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
