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 Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man squad announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and though the Springboks cemented their number one spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's only victory over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to raise a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the opening period last time. Additionally, have a clear gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against Fiji but both have been included in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly 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 Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous 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 stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder 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 very, very valuable lessons.”
