England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Before Crucial Clash
England's head coach got a timely lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
England host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team endured multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses came against the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and while the Springboks cemented their number one spot, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to step up a gear when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period this week. But also, have a defined gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Changes
The England coach is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with captain the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji but both have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great test for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that England’s current ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was named man of the match 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 now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
