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 secure their maiden Twickenham victory over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded group revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—during 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 home nations grand slam intact, and while the Springboks cemented their top spot, the captain described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware 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 win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to step up 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. Additionally, have a defined gameplan which can apply as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Changes
The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current ability to break away in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named man of the match 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 now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
