England's captain Admonishes Team Not to Sit Back at All Blacks' Aura

England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their maiden home victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.

Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash

England's head coach has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.

Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes

The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after George Ford failed with two late kicks.

New Zealand just defeated the Scots on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks secured their number one spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”

In the previous 11 meetings, the team's only victory over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.

George's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks

“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to come out on top.

“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a level when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we might have improved in the opening period this week. But also, have a defined gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.

“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of tight games 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 strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a quality team.”

Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments

Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.

“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great test for us.”

Earl's Reflection on Progress

The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”