England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their first home triumph over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
England's head coach has received a timely boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those losses came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks cemented their top ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's only victory over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class talent,” said 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 back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half last time. Additionally, have a defined gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus 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 quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the squad getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, in addition, believes that the team's current capacity to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they stung 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, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
