England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their maiden home triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Before Crucial Clash
England's head coach has received a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa cemented their top spot, George has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to step up a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the opening period this week. Additionally, develop a clear gameplan which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a several adjustments to his side, with captain the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the squad getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s present capacity to break away in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named 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 sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
