Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach has received a timely lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive comfortable victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England endured multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and though the Springboks cemented their top ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's only victory over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they appear to raise a level when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period this week. But also, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a several changes to his lineup, with captain the lock, the flanker, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against the Islanders but have been selected in the squad preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s current capacity to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing 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.”
