Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach has received a welcome boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
England host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa cemented their number one ranking, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they appear to raise a level when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we could have been better in the opening period this week. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been included in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current ability to break away in the closing stages 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 been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
