Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host 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. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and while the Springboks cemented their top ranking, George described New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's only victory 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.
George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware 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 win that game.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a level when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we could have been better in the opening period this week. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the right side 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 placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his lineup, with captain the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, in addition, believes that England’s current capacity to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you 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,” remarked the back-rower, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
