England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their maiden home triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
England's head coach got a timely boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England endured multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and though South Africa cemented their number one spot, George has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” 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. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they appear to step up a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period this week. But also, develop a clear gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji but both have been selected in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing 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 Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
