Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the 37-man group announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team suffered 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 loss at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and though South Africa secured their number one spot, the captain described New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they appear to raise a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the opening period this week. Additionally, have a defined gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the group getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's current capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named player of the game 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 sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
