England's skipper has warned that the team 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 Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Fixture
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 British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a commanding 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks secured their top spot, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's only victory over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class players,” stated the experienced hooker. “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. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the opening period last time. But also, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much stress 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 tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis 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.”
The Coach's View and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, 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 both have been included in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current capacity to break away in the closing stages of matches owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the dressing 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 extremely priceless lessons.”
