Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks cemented their top spot, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a level when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the first half last time. But also, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of tight games 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 big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Changes
The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his side, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji but both have been selected in the group preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented 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 going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
The number eight, in addition, believes that the team's present 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 battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”