England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their maiden home triumph over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing featured in the 37-man group revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and though the Springboks cemented their top spot, George described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. 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 are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a level when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the first half last time. Additionally, have a clear strategy which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a several adjustments to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been included in the group getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, 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. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
