England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their first home triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team endured six defeats in seven matches, each by fine 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.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa secured their top ranking, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing 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 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 everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear 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. But also, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his side, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s current ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
