England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and available for selection since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and though the Springboks secured their number one spot, George has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the squad preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed 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.”
