England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their maiden home victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
England's head coach has received a timely lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and though the Springboks secured their number one spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their history 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 Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to step up a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop 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 faced 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 cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the group preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s current ability to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I question 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 interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
