England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach got a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa secured their top ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to raise a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the opening period last time. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging 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 put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said 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 next week’s going to be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
