England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their maiden home triumph over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach got a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive comfortable victory over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa cemented their number one ranking, the captain described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's only victory over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, have a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's current ability to break away in the closing stages of matches owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”