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 achieve their first home triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Fixture
England's head coach got a timely boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and available for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing featured in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and though South Africa cemented their number one spot, the captain described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour 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 best side in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a gear when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Changes
The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great test for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present capacity to break away in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
