England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the 37-man group revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
England host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks secured their top spot, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's sole win over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. 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 win that game.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, have a defined gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. 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 mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his lineup, with captain the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the squad preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, in addition, believes that the team's present ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
