England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their maiden home victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
England will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses came against New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa secured their top ranking, the captain described New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class talent,” stated former captain George. “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 this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a level when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we might have improved in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a clear gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“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. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Changes
The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against the Islanders but both 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 among elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s present ability to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
