Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their first home victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach has received a timely boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks cemented their top spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably 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 everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to raise a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we might have improved in the first half last time. Additionally, have a clear gameplan which can apply as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means 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 last quarter of that game is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against Fiji but both have been included in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
The number eight, in addition, believes that the team's present capacity to break away in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named man of the match 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 experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
