England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham victory over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Crucial Clash
England's head coach has received a timely boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
England host New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa cemented their number one spot, George described New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an 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 first half this week. But also, have a defined gameplan which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Changes
The England coach 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. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the squad getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match 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 now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
