Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
England host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and though the Springboks secured their top ranking, George has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have 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 will do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. Additionally, develop a defined gameplan which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side 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 big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Changes
The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been included in the group getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s current capacity to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much 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 developed the experience to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, 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 success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
