🔗 Share this article

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 triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.

Team Updates Before Pivotal Clash

Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group announced on the weekend.

Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles

The home side will welcome the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding comfortable victory over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.

The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and though the Springboks secured their number one spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”

Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.

The Captain's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks

“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. 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 are going to do all we can to win that game.

“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to step up a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. Additionally, have a defined gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.

“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a good team.”

Borthwick's View and Team Changes

The England coach is likely to make a number of changes to his side, with captain the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji but both have been included in the group preparing to take on New Zealand.

“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great test for us.”

The Star's Take on Growth

Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”