Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Clash
England's head coach has received a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and though the Springboks cemented their top spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration 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’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they appear to step up a level when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the first half last time. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against the Islanders but have been selected in the group preparing to face New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's current capacity to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
