England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their maiden Twickenham victory over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Fixture
England's head coach got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England host the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and though the Springboks secured their top ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“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 gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against the Islanders but have been included in the group getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed 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.”
