England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and available for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad announced on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
England will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England suffered multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and though South Africa secured their top spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do everything 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 right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to step up a level when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we could have been better in the opening period last time. Additionally, have a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great test for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that England’s current capacity to break away in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named man of the match 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 now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”