Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England will welcome New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa secured their top ranking, George described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand 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 before. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a gear 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, develop a clear gameplan which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been selected in the group preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's current capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
