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 Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a timely boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the 37-man group announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks cemented their top ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team's sole win over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back 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’ve probably 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 everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to step up a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. But also, develop a clear strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against the Islanders but have been included in the group getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s present ability to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they hurt 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 journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
