Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach has received a timely boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa secured their top spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to step up a gear when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we could have been better in the first half last time. Additionally, have a clear gameplan which can apply as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, 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 group preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, in addition, believes that England’s current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due 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 setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
