England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded group announced on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team suffered six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa cemented their number one spot, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we could have been better in the opening period last time. But also, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism 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 solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a several changes to his side, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against the Islanders but both have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
The number eight, in addition, believes that England’s present ability to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
