Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding comfortable victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team suffered six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa secured their number one ranking, George described New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's sole win over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all 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 are a unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we could have been better in the opening period this week. But also, develop a clear strategy which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the group preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want 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 evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's present ability 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 got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
