England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a welcome boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and available for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on Saturday to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and though the Springboks cemented their number one spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to raise a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, have a clear strategy which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We want 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 rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
