Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a timely boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and though South Africa secured their top spot, George described the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they appear to raise a level when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. But also, have a clear strategy which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means 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 mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the group getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
