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 maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded group announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
England host the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team endured six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and while the Springboks secured their number one ranking, George has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a level when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the opening period this week. But also, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Changes
The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, 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 valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's present ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
