Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a timely lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England endured multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and though the Springboks secured their number one ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration 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 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.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we might have improved in the opening period this week. But also, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with captain the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against Fiji but have been included in the squad getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, 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.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's current ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
