England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their first home triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man squad announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team endured multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and while South Africa cemented their top spot, the captain described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they appear to step up a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we could have been better in the opening period this week. But also, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how 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 multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Changes
The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with captain the lock, the flanker, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been included 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 the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present ability 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, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named player of the game 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 sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
