Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their first home triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a timely boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the 37-man squad announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks cemented their top spot, George has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a gear when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we might have improved in the first half this week. Additionally, have a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been selected in the group getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that England’s present capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of games owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said 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 joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
