Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their maiden home triumph over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses came against New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and though South Africa cemented their number one spot, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting 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 will do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to step up a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Changes
The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the squad preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's current ability to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
