Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their first home triumph over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England will welcome the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team endured multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and while South Africa secured their number one spot, the captain described New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Perspective 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,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour 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 best. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they appear to raise a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period last time. Additionally, have a clear strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a number of changes to his lineup, with captain the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but have been included in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present ability to break away in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
