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
Steve Borthwick got a welcome boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded group announced on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
England host the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding comfortable victory over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on Saturday to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and while the Springboks cemented their number one ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “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 this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to step up a level when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the opening period this week. But also, have a defined gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the squad getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's current capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder 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 extremely valuable lessons.”
