England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks cemented their top ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have 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 all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to step up a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we might have improved in the opening period this week. But also, have a defined gameplan which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the right side 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 big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that England’s present capacity to break away in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
