Jamie George has cautioned 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 over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England endured multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and though South Africa secured their number one ranking, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. But also, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases 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 Squad Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the group preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that England’s current ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
