Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
England's head coach has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the expanded group announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
England host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England endured multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks cemented their top spot, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible players,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting 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.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to step up a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. But also, have a defined gameplan which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been included in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current ability to pull clear in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
