England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding 38-18 victory over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England endured six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks cemented their top ranking, George described the All Blacks as “arguably the best side 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 the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do everything 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 right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to step up a level when they visit 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 gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but have been included in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's current ability to break away in the closing stages of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
