England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a welcome boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks secured their top spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory 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 All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the opening period this week. But also, have a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji but have been included in the group getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, in addition, believes that England’s current capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
