England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their first home victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
England's head coach has received a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England endured multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses came against New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and though South Africa cemented their number one spot, the captain described New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud 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 arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we could have been better in the opening period last time. But also, have a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the squad getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, in addition, believes that the team's current capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
