England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks secured their number one spot, the captain described New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, have a clear gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. 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 winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his lineup, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, in addition, believes that England’s current ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded 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 priceless lessons.”
