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 first home triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
England's head coach has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded group announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa cemented their top ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the top team 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 remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible 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 Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to step up a gear when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the first half last time. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against the Islanders but have been included in the group preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that England’s present capacity to break away in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
