England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
England host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England endured multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa secured their top spot, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to raise a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, have a defined gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with captain the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against the Islanders but have been selected in the group preparing to face New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” 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 the upcoming going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that England’s current capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel 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,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
