Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Crucial Clash
England's head coach has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team endured six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and though the Springboks secured their number one spot, George has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” said 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. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to step up a gear when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases 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 again expected to make a several changes to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but both have been included in the group getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's present ability to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter 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.”
