England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses came against New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks cemented their number one spot, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, have a defined gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side of tight games 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 closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against Fiji but both have been included in the squad preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, 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 valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, in addition, believes that the team's present capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of games owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
