England's captain Cautions Squad Against Sit Back at New Zealand's Reputation
Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their first home triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa cemented their top spot, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, develop a defined gameplan which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all set to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against Fiji but both have been selected in the squad getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s current ability to pull clear in the closing stages of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
