England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their first home triumph over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and though the Springboks secured their number one spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand 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 this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a level when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. But also, have a defined gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year 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. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides 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 rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, 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 Earl, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
