England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their maiden home victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Before Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded group announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side host New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and though the Springboks secured their number one ranking, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team's sole win over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class players,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to raise a gear when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we might have improved in the opening period this week. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Changes
The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been selected in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that the team's present ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder 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 very, very valuable lessons.”
