Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and though South Africa secured their top ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to step up a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we could have been better in the opening period last time. Additionally, have a clear gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso 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 one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s present capacity to break away in the closing stages of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
