Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
The home side host New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive comfortable victory over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa cemented their number one ranking, George has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand 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 Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to step up a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, have a defined strategy which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the group getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
The number eight, in addition, thinks that England’s present capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
