England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
England's head coach has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those losses came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and though the Springboks cemented their number one ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to raise a level when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, have a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those 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 will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
The number eight, in addition, believes that England’s current capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
