Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their maiden home triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—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 the Scots on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa secured their top spot, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team's sole win over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. 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 all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic team 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 opening period last time. But also, have a clear strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Changes
The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against the Islanders but both have been selected in the squad preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's current capacity to break away in the dying minutes of matches owes much 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 got the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
