England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a welcome lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the 37-man squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable win over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa secured their number one spot, the captain described New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said 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 back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to raise a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but both have been included in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great test for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s current capacity to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”