Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded group announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England endured six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa cemented their top spot, George has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class talent,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the opening period last time. But also, develop a clear gameplan which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a several adjustments to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against the Islanders but have been selected in the squad getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, in addition, believes that the team's current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
