Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their maiden home victory over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the expanded group announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and though the Springboks secured their top ranking, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to raise a level when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half last time. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. 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.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against Fiji but have been included in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
The number eight, in addition, believes that England’s present capacity to break away in the closing stages of games owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
