Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side host New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and while South Africa secured their number one spot, George has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's only victory over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class players,” stated 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 Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to raise a gear when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a several changes to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, in addition, thinks 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 the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
