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 visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England will welcome the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa cemented their number one ranking, George described New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“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 team and they appear to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we might have improved in the opening period this week. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. 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 finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against the Islanders but have been included in the squad getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams 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 eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great test for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s present capacity to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said 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 success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
