England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and though the Springboks secured their top ranking, George described the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting 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 playing here. We will do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we might have improved in the first half last time. But also, have a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a several changes to his lineup, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against Fiji but have been included in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, 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 great test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that the team's present capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to learn from those losses, and they hurt 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, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
