Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first home triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a timely boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention 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 group revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
England host New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa secured their top spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's only victory over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to raise a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way 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 closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Changes
The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both took knocks against the Islanders but both have been selected in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
