England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on Saturday to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and though South Africa cemented their top spot, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we could have been better in the first half last time. Additionally, have a clear strategy which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman 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 challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s present capacity to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
