Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team endured multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and though the Springboks cemented their top spot, the captain described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing 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 arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a level when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, develop a defined gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Changes
The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been included in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great test for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
The number eight, in addition, believes that the team's current ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
