England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those losses came against the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and though South Africa secured their number one spot, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said 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 competing at home. 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 strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but both have been included in the group preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
