England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick got a timely boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, 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 reverse at Twickenham after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks cemented their number one ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's only victory over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to raise a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the opening period this week. But also, have a defined gameplan which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves 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 finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Changes
The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the group preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's present capacity to break away in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
