Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their maiden home triumph over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a timely boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and though the Springboks secured their top spot, George has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy 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 playing here. We will do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the opening period 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 give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side 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 placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but both have been included in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing 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 very, very valuable lessons.”
