England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their maiden home victory over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team endured multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks cemented their number one ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to raise a level when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the first half last time. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed 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 sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been included in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those losses, 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 path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
