England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team endured multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa cemented their number one ranking, the captain described New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they appear to raise a level when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the first half last time. Additionally, have a defined gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side 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 however many tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a several adjustments to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against Fiji but have been included in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great test for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that England’s current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games owes much 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 scar tissue to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
