England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their maiden home triumph over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
England's head coach got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
The home side host New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a commanding 38-18 victory over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team endured multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses came against New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks cemented their top ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's only victory over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they appear to raise a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we might have improved in the first half this week. Additionally, have a defined gameplan which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, 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. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against the Islanders but both have been selected in the group getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, in addition, thinks that the team's current ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on 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 now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
