Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
England's head coach got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the expanded group announced on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats 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.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on Saturday to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and while the Springboks secured their number one ranking, George described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class 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. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to step up a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the opening period this week. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Changes
The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against Fiji but both have been included in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves 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 eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, in addition, believes that the team's present capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded 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 joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
