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 home victory over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
The home side host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa cemented their top spot, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. 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. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to step up a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the opening period last time. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against the Islanders but have been included in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's present ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
