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 secure their first home triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded squad revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and though the Springboks secured their number one ranking, George described New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour 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 at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they appear to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. Additionally, develop a defined gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means 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 last quarter of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the group getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, in addition, believes that the team's current capacity 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 seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
