England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable victory over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa secured their top ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's sole win over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible players,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they appear to raise a gear when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we might have improved in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a defined gameplan which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to return to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the group getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current capacity to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
