England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their maiden home triumph over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
England's head coach has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
England host the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and though South Africa secured their top spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible players,” 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 Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to step up a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half last time. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, in addition, believes that England’s current ability to pull clear in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel 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,” remarked Earl, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
