England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
England's head coach got a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
England will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and while the Springboks secured their top ranking, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history 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 this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do everything 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’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to step up a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we could have been better in the opening period this week. But also, develop a clear gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each took knocks against the Islanders but have been selected in the group preparing 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. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
