England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their maiden home victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing featured in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
England will welcome the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England endured multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses came against New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and though South Africa cemented their top spot, the captain described New Zealand as “arguably the best side 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 last five clashes at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class 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 playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a level when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, develop a clear gameplan which can apply as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each took knocks against the Islanders but have been included in the group preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that England’s present capacity to break away in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, 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 Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
