Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks cemented their number one ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they appear to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the winning end of close contests 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 final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current capacity to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
