England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded group announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
The home side host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England endured multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks cemented their top ranking, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class talent,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting 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 are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a level when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we could have been better in the opening period this week. But also, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat last year 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. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been selected in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that the team's current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
