England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach got a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side host New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks cemented their top ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to raise a level when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji but both have been selected in the group getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's current capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
