Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their first home victory over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable victory over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team endured multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and though South Africa cemented their top ranking, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have 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 all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a level when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, develop a clear strategy which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a several changes to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been selected in the group getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
The number eight, in addition, thinks that England’s present ability to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
