England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the expanded squad revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team endured multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and though the Springboks secured their top spot, the captain described New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's sole win over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have 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 will do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to step up a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all 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 that game is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji but have been included in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that the team's present capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
