England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a welcome boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded squad revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England will welcome the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and while the Springboks cemented their top spot, the captain described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's sole win over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, have a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his lineup, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been included in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
