England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their maiden Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
England host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team endured multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa secured their top ranking, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have 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 will do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to raise a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how 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 however many tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his side, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, in addition, thinks that the team's present ability to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
