England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their first home victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding comfortable win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England suffered multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses came against New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on Saturday to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and though the Springboks cemented their top spot, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to raise a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half last time. But also, have a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
