Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the 37-man squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
England host New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those losses came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa secured their top spot, George described New Zealand 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 New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. 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 all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic 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 might have improved in the first half this week. But also, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism 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. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been selected in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said the head coach. “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 will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that England’s current ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
