England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick got a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa secured their number one ranking, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible talent,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have 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 all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to raise a level when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, have a clear gameplan 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 last year for not emerging on the winning end of close contests 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 latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Team Changes
The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
