England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their maiden home triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks secured their top spot, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have 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 competing at home. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to raise a level when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. Additionally, develop a clear gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year 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 put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. 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 adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the group getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
The number eight, in addition, believes that the team's current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “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.”
