England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham victory over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
England host the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and though South Africa cemented their top spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. 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. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to raise a level when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put 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 likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the group getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those losses, and they stung 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 journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
