England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham victory over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a timely lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing featured in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
England will welcome the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses came against New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks secured their number one spot, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures 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 legacy and all their world-class talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the best side 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 to do is work out where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, develop a clear strategy which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the group preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present capacity to break away in the closing stages of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad 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 extremely priceless lessons.”
