England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
England's head coach has received a welcome boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and while the Springboks cemented their number one spot, George has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a level when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we could have been better in the opening period last time. But also, have a clear strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been included in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current ability to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
