England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their first home victory over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a timely boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa secured their top spot, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class 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 this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to step up a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the opening period this week. But also, have a defined strategy which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a several changes to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against Fiji but both have been included in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's present capacity to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
