England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their maiden home triumph over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
England's head coach has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded squad revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa cemented their top spot, the captain described New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. 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. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to raise a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the opening period this week. But also, develop a clear gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Team Changes
The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s current ability to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
