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 first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury 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 expanded group announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa secured their number one ranking, George described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we could have been better in the opening period this week. But also, have a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark 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 captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that the team's current capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
