England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Before Crucial Fixture
England's head coach has received a timely lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa secured their top ranking, George described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated 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 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 strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a gear when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, in addition, believes that England’s current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
