Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive comfortable victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and though the Springboks cemented their top spot, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they appear to step up a gear when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half last time. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been selected in the group getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s present ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
