Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Before Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa secured their top ranking, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's sole win over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” stated 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. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a gear when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, develop a clear gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the group preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's current capacity to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
