Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first home triumph over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded squad revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team endured multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks cemented their top ranking, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, have a defined strategy which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all 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 quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
