England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa cemented their number one spot, George has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to raise a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the opening period last time. But also, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the winning end 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 placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against Fiji but both have been selected in the group getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that England’s current capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like 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 named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
