England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England endured six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those losses came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and while South Africa secured their number one ranking, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's only victory over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten 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 incredible talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a level when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the opening period last time. But also, develop a clear gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each took knocks against the Islanders but have been included in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said Borthwick. “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 will be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that the team's current capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
