England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their maiden home triumph over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing featured in the 37-man squad announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games 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 England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa cemented their top ranking, the captain described New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's only victory over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to step up a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. Additionally, have a defined gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out 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 cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a several changes to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great test for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that the team's current capacity to break away in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”