England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the 37-man squad announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear 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. Three of those losses were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and though the Springboks secured their top spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's sole win over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class talent,” said 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. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we could have been better in the opening period this week. But also, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side 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 placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Changes
The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been selected in the group preparing to face New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said the head coach. “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 will be a great test for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that the team's present ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, 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,” remarked Earl, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
