Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first home victory over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and while South Africa cemented their number one ranking, the captain described New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team's sole win over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. Additionally, develop a defined gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, 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 Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the squad preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
