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 first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the expanded group announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses came against New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and though South Africa secured their top ranking, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, have a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against Fiji but both have been selected in the group preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current ability to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
