England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks secured their number one ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to raise a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period this week. Additionally, have a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with captain the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but both have been included in the group preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
The number eight, in addition, thinks that the team's present capacity to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
