England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their maiden home victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the expanded squad revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive comfortable win 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 multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and while the Springboks cemented their top ranking, the captain described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to raise a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the opening period last time. But also, have a clear strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the group getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that England’s current capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
