England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their maiden home triumph over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive comfortable victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team suffered six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks secured their number one ranking, the captain described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting 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 competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they appear to step up a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current capacity to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
