England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their maiden home triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach has received a timely boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England endured multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks cemented their number one spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class players,” stated 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 this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to step up a gear when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the squad getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that the team's present ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
