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 first home triumph over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks secured their top ranking, George described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital 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 appear to raise a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, 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.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s present capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
