England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those losses came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and while the Springboks secured their top spot, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible talent,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a gear when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the first half last time. Additionally, develop a clear gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a number of changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the group getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that the team's current capacity to break away in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
