England's captain Admonishes Team Against Sit Back at All Blacks' Reputation

Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.

Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash

England's head coach got a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.

Current Form Differs with Previous Woes

The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.

New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and while the Springboks cemented their top spot, George has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”

Of the last 11 encounters, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.

George's Perspective 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 incredible talent,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to come out on top.

“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to raise a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the opening period this week. But also, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.

“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”

The Coach's View and Team Changes

Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been selected in the group preparing to take on New Zealand.

“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, 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.”

The Star's Take on Growth

The number eight, in addition, thinks that England’s current ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”