3. “HE’S CONFIDENT” – BORTHWICK ON SCOTT ROBERTSON’S APPROACH TO FIRST TEST
New Zealand head coach Scott Robertson is eagerly anticipating his first run at the helm of his new side this Saturday. A proven winner in Super Rugby with the Crusaders, this is the first time Robertson has taken the lead with a senior Test match set-up. Despite the looming pressure that is building upon his opposite man, Borthwick believes that Robertson will be confident heading into the home of the Highlanders.
STEVE BORTHWICK: “I am sure he will be feeling very confident with the squad that he has got. He has clearly got a great record as a coach and given how many of the players have come through the Crusaders and how many he has coached previously and having that opportunity to bring his coaching team together and plan for this I am sure he is feeling very well prepared for this game on Saturday.”
4. BEN EARL HAS “INTERNATIONAL CLASS” – HE’S READY TO TAKE ON ARDIE SAVEA
Borthwick was full of praise for England back-row Ben Earl, who goes head-to-head with one of the world’s best this Saturday. Earl is expected to line-up against Ardie Savea in Dunedin, with the 2023 World Rugby Player of the Year chomping at the bit for a bruising battle with the Saracen. Borthwick expressed how Earl possesses ‘international class’, which he hopes will transfer to the opening Test on New Zealand’s South Island.
STEVE BORTHWICK: “Ben has ability on the ball and his ability to pass as well as his footwork pre-contact means he finds space and he helps other players find space. That is his point of difference.
“From Six Nations 2023 and Ben was on the bench for two games and I asked him, we discussed areas to work on in his game, and he went away and worked exceptionally hard. Now when I look at his work rate it is very rare. The way we measure work rate of every player in every game, it is very rare any player has a higher work rate than Ben. So he has those incredible moments of skill and they are backed up by phenomenal work rate and that is exactly what you need in Test rugby.
“Then you look at the back row in Test rugby and the numbers for involvements and work rate are way above any other positional group. So to have Ben and Sam there, both normally sevens, they give us that constant work rate and I think that is what we are going to need on Saturday.
“The thing that also pleases me with Ben, we meet every week, is he also identifies what he needs to work on and improve. Clearly I have done that analysis as well but he brings it to me. I sense a hunger in him and a desire to just keep getting better and it is exciting to work with a player like that.”
5. JUST 10 ENGLAND PLAYERS IN THE SQUAD HAVE FACED THE ALL BLACKS BEFORE
There is a core group of the England squad that have been lending crucial advice this week, as just 10 members of the touring group have experienced the Test match stage against the All Blacks. With such an abundance of young talent populating Borthwick’s ranks for Saturday’s fixture, the older members of the group have been passing on valuable words of wisdom from previous Kiwi encounters.
STEVE BORTHWICK: “We have only got 10 players in this squad who have played against New Zealand before, so many of them don’t know and there is a certain amount of excitement and the challenge of the players who want to play this game, because they want to see where they are against the best.
“What they want to focus on is very much, what are we doing to do and how are we going to do it? And they talk to me about we must bring our game onto the pitch on Saturday, that is what the players say to me and I am looking forward to bringing their game on the pitch on Saturday.”
“The players got together last night and they shared some of their experiences. Near a match day, the players will have more players’ meetings and that’s when they’ll talk much more about the game as they get closer to matchday and the specifics of the game.”