England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and available for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
England will welcome the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 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 multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and though the Springboks cemented their top ranking, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's sole win over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting 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 competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against Fiji but both have been selected in the squad preparing to face the All Blacks.
“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 developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great test for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's present capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
