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 secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury 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 expanded squad revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and though South Africa cemented their number one ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves 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 finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been selected in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current capacity to break away in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
