Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa secured their number one ranking, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. 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 team and they seem to raise a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how 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. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Changes
The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but both have been selected in the group preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great test for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
