England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded squad revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding comfortable victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and while the Springboks secured their number one ranking, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's only victory over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class players,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to 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 unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to raise a gear when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, have a clear gameplan which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Changes
The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with captain the lock, the flanker, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but have been included in the group preparing to face New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that the team's present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
