Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
England's head coach got a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
England will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa cemented their number one spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's sole win over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible talent,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad 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 opening period last time. Additionally, develop a defined gameplan which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against Fiji but both have been included in the group getting ready 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 eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, in addition, believes that England’s present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of matches owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel 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,” remarked the back-rower, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad 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 extremely valuable lessons.”
