England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their first home triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man squad announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
The home side host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and though South Africa cemented their top spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they appear to step up a level when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, have a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the squad getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We aim 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 evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly 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 Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s present ability to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game 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 interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
