Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham victory over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England will welcome the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa cemented their top spot, George described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten 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 legacy and all their incredible talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to step up a level when they visit this stadium. Our focus 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. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year 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 cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, 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 group preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great test for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current ability to pull clear in the closing stages of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
