England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded squad revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England endured multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa secured their top ranking, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably 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 win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to step up a level when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. Additionally, have a clear strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a several changes to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all set to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against the Islanders but have been included in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, in addition, believes that the team's present capacity to break away in the closing stages of games owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
