England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Clash
England's head coach has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the 37-man group revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
The home side host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England endured six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa secured their number one spot, the captain described New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they appear to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the opening period last time. Additionally, have a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the winning end of tight games 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 latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against Fiji but have been included in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that the team's present capacity to break away in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named man of the match 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 now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
