Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention 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 squad revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and while the Springboks secured their number one ranking, the captain described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's only victory over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the opening period last time. But also, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves 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. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a several changes to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams 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 next week’s will be a great test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s present ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
