England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their first home triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
England's head coach has received a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and though the Springboks cemented their number one ranking, George described New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's only victory over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” said former captain George. “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. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the first half this week. But also, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, in addition, thinks that the team's current capacity to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
