Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their maiden home triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team endured multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and though South Africa secured their number one spot, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's only victory over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to raise a level when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we might have improved in the first half last time. Additionally, develop a clear gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but have been included in the group getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, 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 Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s current ability to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder 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.”
