Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks secured their top spot, George described the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's only victory over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing 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 arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to step up a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, have a clear gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been included in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that England’s present capacity to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man 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 very, very valuable lessons.”
