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 first home triumph over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a timely boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man group revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those losses came against the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and though South Africa cemented their number one spot, George described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a level when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat 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 complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been selected in the group getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, 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 success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
