England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa secured their number one spot, the captain described New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. 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 peak. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to raise a gear when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Changes
The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the group getting ready to face New Zealand.
“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 evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, in addition, believes that England’s present ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game 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 curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
