England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their first home victory over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks cemented their number one spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we could have been better in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way 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 latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Changes
The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the group preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current capacity to break away in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
