England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded squad revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England endured multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and though South Africa cemented their number one spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. 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. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a level when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's current capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
