England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick got a timely boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the 37-man group revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England endured multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa cemented their top spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to raise a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the opening period last time. Additionally, have a defined gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the squad preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great test for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current ability to break away in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
