Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach has received a timely lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome the All Blacks after stretching 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 endured multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those losses came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks cemented their top ranking, George described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. 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 peak. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to step up a level when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the first half last time. But also, have a defined gameplan which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Changes
The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his side, with captain the lock, the flanker, and Ford all set to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of matches owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
