Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their maiden home triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Crucial Fixture
England's head coach has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man squad announced on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
England will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and though South Africa cemented their number one spot, George described New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. 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. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to step up a level when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been included in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, 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 Take on Progress
The number eight, in addition, thinks that England’s present ability to break away in the closing stages of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
