Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their maiden home triumph over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a timely boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded group revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
England host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa secured their number one ranking, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's only victory over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a level when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, have a clear strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the group preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
The number eight, in addition, thinks that the team's present ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
