Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham victory over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded group announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and though the Springboks cemented their top spot, the captain described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to step up a level when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, develop a clear gameplan which can apply as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Changes
The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, 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 squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
