Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick got a timely boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks secured their top ranking, the captain described New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's only victory over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class players,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, have a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been selected in the group preparing to face New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that the team's present ability to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
