Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and though South Africa cemented their top spot, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible talent,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. 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 without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to raise a gear when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the opening period last time. Additionally, have a defined gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under 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. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all set to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against the Islanders but have been included in the squad preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, in addition, believes that the team's current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
