Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
The home side host New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team endured multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa secured their number one spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. 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 right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, have a clear gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of close contests 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 strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been selected in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
