Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their first home triumph over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Fixture
England's head coach got a welcome boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a commanding comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and though South Africa secured their top ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period last time. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji but have been included in the group getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's present capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
