England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since sustaining 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.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding comfortable victory over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa secured their top spot, George has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they appear to step up a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we could have been better in the opening period this week. But also, develop a clear gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all 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 final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“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 improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that England’s present ability to break away in the closing stages of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
