Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their maiden home victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England will welcome the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive comfortable victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks cemented their number one spot, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we could have been better in the opening period this week. Additionally, have a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, 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 closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the group preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current capacity to break away in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
