Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid 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 Saturday.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Clash
England's head coach has received a timely boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa secured their number one ranking, George described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. 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. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half this week. But also, develop a clear gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“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. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a several changes to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all set to return to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
The number eight, in addition, thinks that the team's present capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
