England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick got a welcome boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
England host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and though South Africa secured their number one ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's only victory over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud 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 best side in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to raise a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the opening period this week. But also, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a several changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against the Islanders but have been included in the squad getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among 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 going to be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s present ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
