England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Before Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the expanded group revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and though South Africa secured their top spot, George described the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to raise a level when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been included in the group preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly 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, in addition, believes that the team's present ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
