England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and available for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding 38-18 win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and while the Springboks secured their number one spot, the captain described New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting 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.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to raise a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the first half last time. Additionally, have a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests 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 last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against Fiji but have been included in the group preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present capacity to break away in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
