England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first home victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded squad 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 38-18 win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa secured their number one ranking, George has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class players,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to raise a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a defined gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism 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 exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a several adjustments to his side, with captain the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s current ability to break away in the closing stages of games owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
