Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham victory over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks cemented their number one ranking, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, develop a clear strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat last year 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 closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been selected in the squad preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
