England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. 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—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa cemented their top spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team's sole win over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, have a defined gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the group getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great test for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current capacity to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
