England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their first home triumph over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Crucial Fixture
England's head coach has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded squad revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses came against New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks cemented their top spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period this week. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, 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. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the group preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that England’s current ability to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
