England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, 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, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks cemented their top spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably 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. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we could have been better in the first half last time. Additionally, have a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Team Changes
The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against Fiji but both have been selected in the group preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that England’s current capacity to break away in the closing stages of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game 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 curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
