Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their maiden home victory over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
England's head coach got a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side host New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and though South Africa cemented their number one spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half last time. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat last year 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 latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the group getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's current ability to break away in the closing stages of matches owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”