England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a welcome boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses came against New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and though the Springboks secured their top ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight 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 former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. But also, have a clear strategy which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a several changes to his lineup, with captain the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each took knocks against the Islanders but have been selected in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current capacity to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
