England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team endured multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and though South Africa secured their top ranking, the captain described New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, develop a clear gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against the Islanders but both have been selected in the group preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's present capacity to break away in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
