England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and though South Africa cemented their number one spot, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible players,” said former captain George. “It’s easy 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 playing here. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to raise a level when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, have a clear gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against Fiji but have been included in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, 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 Progress
The number eight, in addition, believes that England’s current capacity to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
