Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their first home triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and though South Africa secured their top spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to step up a level when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, have a clear strategy which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. 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 winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the squad getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that England’s present capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
