Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
England's head coach has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England endured multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on Saturday to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and while the Springboks secured their top spot, George described New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to raise a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half this week. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Team Changes
The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against Fiji but have been included in the group getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's current capacity to break away in the closing stages of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I question among the squad 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.”
