England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and though the Springboks cemented their top ranking, George described New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably 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 come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we might have improved in the first half last time. But also, have a clear strategy which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Changes
The England coach is likely 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. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s present ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
