England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their maiden home triumph over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England endured multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa cemented their top ranking, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in 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 legacy and all their world-class players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. 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 all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to raise a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the first half last time. But also, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game 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 captain the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the squad getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s current ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
