Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their maiden home triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Crucial Fixture
England's head coach got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team endured multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa cemented their top spot, George described New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to raise a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half last time. But also, have a defined gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not coming out 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 cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great test for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that England’s current capacity to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
