Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a timely boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the expanded group announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
England will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and though the Springboks cemented their top ranking, the captain described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a gear when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we could have been better in the opening period this week. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“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. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a number of changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji but both have been included in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that England’s present ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
