Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa cemented their number one ranking, the captain described New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class players,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we might have improved in the first half this week. Additionally, have a clear strategy which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but both have been included in the squad getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great test for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that England’s present ability to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded 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 success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
