Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a timely boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded group announced on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England endured 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 reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa cemented their number one ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to step up a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, 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 finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the squad preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that England’s current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
