Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their maiden home triumph over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man squad announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and though South Africa cemented their top spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to step up a level when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half last time. But also, have a clear gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been included in the group preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great test for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current ability to break away in the closing stages of matches owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
