Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their maiden home victory over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, again pulling away 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. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa secured their number one spot, the captain described New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “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 Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to step up a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. But also, have a defined strategy which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but both have been included in the group preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great test for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that the team's current ability to break away in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
