England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Before Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick got a welcome lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
The home side host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run 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 suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks secured their number one spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing 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 best. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they appear to step up a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the opening period this week. But also, develop a clear gameplan which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat 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 complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji 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,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that the team's present capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”