England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
England's head coach got a welcome boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man squad announced on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
England host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team endured multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and though the Springboks cemented their top spot, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we could have been better in the opening period last time. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been included in the squad preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented 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 going to be a great test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, in addition, thinks that the team's present ability to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question 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 curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
