England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
England's head coach has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man squad announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa secured their top ranking, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible players,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to step up a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we could have been better in the opening period this week. Additionally, have a clear strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end 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 that game is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain the lock, the flanker, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been included in the group getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes 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 hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
