England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded group announced on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses came against New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa cemented their number one ranking, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do all 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 are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to step up a level when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“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. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his side, with captain the lock, the flanker, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the squad getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great test for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the changing 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 extremely valuable lessons.”
