Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a timely boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing featured in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa secured their number one ranking, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to step up a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we could have been better in the opening period last time. But also, develop a clear gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against the Islanders but have been selected in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's current capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing 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 very, very valuable lessons.”
