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 triumph over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded group announced on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding comfortable victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and though the Springboks cemented their number one spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated 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 all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to step up a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, 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 finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been selected in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great test for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that England’s current ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
