England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
The home side host New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 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 England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and while the Springboks secured their number one spot, George described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible players,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware 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.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the opening period this week. But also, develop a clear strategy which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his side, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji but have been included in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen 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 current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, 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,” said the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
