England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa secured their top ranking, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. 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 peak. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. But also, have a defined gameplan which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, 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 both have been selected in the squad getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that the team's present ability to break away in the closing stages of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, 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 journey now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
