England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa secured their top spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy 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 competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to raise a level 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. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the group getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current capacity to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
