England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
The home side host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team endured multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and while South Africa cemented their number one ranking, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat 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 cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s current capacity to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
