England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks cemented their number one spot, the captain described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's only victory over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we could have been better in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a clear gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. 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 however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with captain the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the squad getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's present capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
