Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their first home triumph over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
England's head coach has received a timely lift with the versatile back 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 the wing were also named in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those losses came against New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa cemented their top ranking, George described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated 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 competing at home. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, have a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end 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 placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a several adjustments to his side, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against the Islanders but have been included in the squad getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed 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, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
