England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
The home side host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa secured their top ranking, the captain described New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the opening period last time. Additionally, have a defined gameplan which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“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 complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, in addition, thinks that the team's present capacity to break away in the closing stages of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
