Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their maiden home victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded group announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and while the Springboks secured their top spot, George has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to raise a level when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, have a defined gameplan which can apply as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but both have been included in the group getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, in addition, believes that the team's present capacity to break away in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
