England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick got a welcome boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded squad revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
England will welcome the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form 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 the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa secured their top ranking, George described New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said the experienced hooker. “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 this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they appear to step up a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the first half last time. But also, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been selected in the group preparing to face New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
