Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their first home victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man squad announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and though South Africa secured their number one ranking, the captain described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's only victory over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do 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 are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced 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. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Team Changes
The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji but both have been included in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
