🔗 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 first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.

Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash

Steve Borthwick got a timely boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group announced on Sunday night.

Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes

England host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive comfortable victory over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.

New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and though the Springboks cemented their number one spot, George described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”

Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures 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 world-class players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do everything we can to win that game.

“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to raise a level when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, have a clear gameplan which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.

“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a quality team.”

The Coach's Outlook and Team Changes

The England coach is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but both have been included in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.

“We aim to test our mettle 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 growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great assessment for us.”

The Star's Reflection on Growth

The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that England’s present ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”