Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded group announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England endured multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and while the Springboks secured their number one ranking, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have 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 appear to raise a level when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that the team's current ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
