Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
England host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and though the Springboks secured their number one spot, George described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, have a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Team Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the squad getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, in addition, thinks that England’s present capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
