England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their maiden home victory over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
England's head coach got a welcome boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded squad revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa secured their top ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to raise a gear when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the opening period this week. But also, have a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his side, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that the team's present capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
