Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
England's head coach got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the expanded squad revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and though South Africa secured their top ranking, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible talent,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to step up a gear when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the opening period this week. Additionally, have a clear strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests 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 latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Changes
The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the squad getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, in addition, thinks that England’s current ability to pull clear in the closing stages of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
