England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and while the Springboks cemented their number one spot, George described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a level when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago 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 put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a several changes to his side, with captain the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against Fiji but have been included in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among 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 the upcoming will be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current capacity to break away in the closing stages of games owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
