Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their maiden home victory over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded squad revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
England will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and though South Africa cemented their number one ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they appear to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the opening period last time. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how 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 latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a number of changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against the Islanders but both have been selected in the group preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
