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 home triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Clash
England's head coach got a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
The home side host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on the weekend to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and while the Springboks secured their top spot, George described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, develop a clear 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 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 exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been selected in the group getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, 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.”
Earl's Take on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s current capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you 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,” said Earl, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
