Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach got a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded squad revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
The home side host New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa cemented their number one ranking, George described New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's sole win over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy 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 competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they appear to step up a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been selected in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current capacity to break away in the closing stages of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
