England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis 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 available for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded group announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks cemented their top ranking, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to raise a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, have a defined gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” 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 will be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that the team's present capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
