England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a welcome boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and while the Springboks cemented their number one spot, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have 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 come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the group getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s present capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of games owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to build on 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 changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
