England's captain Warns Squad Not to Stand in Awe at New Zealand's Aura

Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.

Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture

Steve Borthwick has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.

Current Form Differs with Past Struggles

The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.

New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa secured their top spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team 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 New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.

The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks

“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to come out on top.

“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to raise a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we might have improved in the first half last time. But also, develop a clear gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.

“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”

Borthwick's View and Team Changes

Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been selected in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.

“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great assessment for us.”

Earl's Take on Progress

The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s current capacity to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing 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 valuable lessons.”