England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Before Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded squad revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England endured multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and though the Springboks secured their top ranking, George has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to raise a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. Additionally, develop a defined gameplan which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his side, with captain the lock, the flanker, and Ford all set to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the squad getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, 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 Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s present capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
