England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing featured in the 37-man group announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding comfortable victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and while 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, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they appear to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the first half last time. Additionally, have a clear gameplan which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Changes
The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been selected in the group preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great test for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
The number eight, in addition, believes that England’s present capacity to break away in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
