England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded group announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and while the Springboks secured their top spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. 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 exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, have a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented the head coach. “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 will be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s present ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
