England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a welcome boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa cemented their number one ranking, the captain described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's only victory over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to raise a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the opening period this week. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the winning end 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 placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a several changes to his lineup, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but have been included in the group preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, 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 test for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's current capacity to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
