Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded squad revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding comfortable victory 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 multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks secured their number one ranking, George has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's sole win over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we might have improved in the first half this week. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Changes
The England coach is likely to make a number of changes to his side, with captain the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each took knocks against the Islanders but have been selected in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle 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 quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
The number eight, in addition, thinks that the team's current capacity to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
