Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their maiden home victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, 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 two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and while the Springboks cemented their number one spot, George described New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's only victory over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we might have improved in the first half last time. But also, develop a clear gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against the Islanders but have been included in the group getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great test for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that the team's current ability to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the dressing 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 extremely valuable lessons.”
