Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England host New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa cemented their top ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to 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 right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we could have been better in the opening period last time. Additionally, have a clear gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been included in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, 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 great assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's current ability to pull clear in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, 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, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
