England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their first home triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and though the Springboks secured their number one spot, George has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to step up a gear when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we might have improved in the opening period this week. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both took knocks against the Islanders but both have been selected in the squad getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present ability to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
