England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and though South Africa cemented their number one ranking, George has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class talent,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the opening period this week. But also, have a defined strategy which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against the Islanders but have been included in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that the team's current capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”