England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach has received a welcome lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
The home side host New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa cemented their top ranking, the captain described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's only victory over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital 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. Our focus for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half last time. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with captain the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been selected in the squad preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current ability to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
