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 achieve their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine 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 two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks cemented their number one ranking, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England'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 England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to step up a level when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the opening period this week. Additionally, have a defined gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the group preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle 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 eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present ability to break away in the closing stages of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
