England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded squad revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive comfortable victory over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa cemented their top ranking, the captain described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's only victory over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we might have improved in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Changes
The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with captain the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the squad preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s present capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
