England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their maiden home victory over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team endured six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and though South Africa cemented their number one ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat last year 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 put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Changes
The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the squad getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that England’s present ability to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
