England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
England's head coach has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a commanding 38-18 victory over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and though South Africa secured their top spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win 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 Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy 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 playing here. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, have a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how 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 finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a several changes to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the group preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's current capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
