England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the 37-man squad announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England endured multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks secured their number one ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class players,” stated former captain George. “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. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a level when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we might have improved in the first half last time. But also, develop a clear strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced 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 exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a several adjustments to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both took knocks against the Islanders but both have been selected in the squad getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from 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 path now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
