Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their maiden home triumph over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
England host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team endured multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks secured their number one ranking, the captain described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to raise a level when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, develop a clear gameplan which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism 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 complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Changes
The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but both 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 best teams,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's current capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
