Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their first home victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
England's head coach has received a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on the weekend to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and though the Springboks secured their top ranking, George described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we could have been better in the opening period this week. But also, have a clear strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against the Islanders but have been included in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches is largely due 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 developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
