Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their maiden home triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach has received a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team endured multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa cemented their top ranking, the captain described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible players,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to raise a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, have a defined gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against the Islanders but have been included in the squad getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle 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 quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
