Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their first home victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach has received a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England suffered multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and while the Springboks cemented their top ranking, George has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to raise a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. But also, develop a clear strategy which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the group preparing to face New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, in addition, thinks 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 battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience 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 question among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
