England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing featured in the 37-man group revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
The home side host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa secured their number one ranking, the captain described New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible players,” 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 back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to step up a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, have a defined gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging 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 final segment of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Changes
The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been selected in the squad getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s current capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of games owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last 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 changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
