England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham victory over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick got a timely boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
England host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa secured their number one spot, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. 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 best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we might have improved in the first half last time. Additionally, have a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each took knocks against the Islanders but both have been selected in the squad preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, 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 Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s present capacity to break away in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those losses, and they hurt 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, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
