Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Before Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a timely boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man group announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team endured six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks secured their top ranking, the captain described New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” stated the experienced hooker. “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 Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half last time. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging 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 solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those 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 next week’s going to be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current capacity to break away in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, 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 experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
