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 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Before Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a timely boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
England host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa secured their number one ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital 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 level when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the opening period last time. Additionally, have a clear gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a several adjustments to his side, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been included in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said 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 next week’s going to be a great test for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s present capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”