England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and while the Springboks secured their top spot, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's only victory 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 Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class talent,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to raise a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half this week. But also, have a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Team Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been included in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
The number eight, in addition, thinks that the team's present ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
