England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a welcome boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa secured their number one ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's only victory over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, develop a defined gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his side, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but have been included in the group getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” 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 next week’s will be a great test for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
