England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their first home victory over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England will welcome New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive comfortable victory over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team endured multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks cemented their top ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to raise a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we could have been better in the first half last time. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put 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 sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a several changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against the Islanders but have been selected in the group getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said 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 great assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
