England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their maiden Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Clash
England's head coach got a welcome boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and available 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 Differs with Past Struggles
England host New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa cemented their number one spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said the experienced hooker. “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 Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. 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 raise a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. But also, have a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the winning end 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 strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been included in the group getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that England’s present capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
