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 maiden home triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the 37-man squad announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
England host New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive comfortable victory over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and though South Africa secured their number one spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have 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.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to step up a level when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we could have been better in the opening period last time. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, 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 closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each took knocks against the Islanders but have been included in the group getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said 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 will be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
