Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
England's head coach has received a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded squad revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team endured multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and though the Springboks secured their number one ranking, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to step up a level when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, have a clear gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim 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 rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games owes much 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 got the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, 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 path now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
