Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and though the Springboks secured their top ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably 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 everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they appear to raise a level when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we could have been better in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a defined gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Changes
The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against the Islanders but have been included in the group preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that England’s present ability to break away in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
