England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding comfortable victory over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks cemented their top spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's only victory over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to raise a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period this week. Additionally, develop a clear gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Team Changes
The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against the Islanders but have been included in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing 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.”
