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 over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group revealed 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 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks cemented their top spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's sole win over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of the All Blacks 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 must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to raise a level when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the first half last time. Additionally, have a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against Fiji but both have been included in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
