England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded group announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England endured six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa cemented their top spot, the captain described New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do all 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’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we might have improved in the opening period this week. But also, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Changes
The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the squad preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current capacity to break away in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
