England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham victory over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and though the Springboks secured their number one spot, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's only victory over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a level when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, have a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Team Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been included in the squad getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current ability to break away in the closing stages of matches owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
