England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded group announced on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
The home side host New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and though the Springboks cemented their number one spot, George described New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class talent,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a level when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half last time. Additionally, develop a defined gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a several adjustments to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
