England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first home triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
England's head coach got a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
The home side host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team 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 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa secured their top ranking, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 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 Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to raise a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we might have improved in the opening period this week. Additionally, develop a clear gameplan which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against the Islanders but both have been selected in the group preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s present ability 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, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those setbacks, 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 priceless lessons.”
