Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
England's head coach got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and though the Springboks secured their top ranking, George has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Perspective 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 former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they appear to raise a level when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify 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 pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against the Islanders but both have been selected in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's current capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
