Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham victory over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick got a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team endured multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those losses came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks cemented their top ranking, George has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's sole win over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to step up a level when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, have a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but have been included in the group preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's current capacity to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
