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 victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded squad revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England host New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses came against New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and while the Springboks secured their number one ranking, the captain described New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to raise a level when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, have a defined gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not coming out 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 solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
The number eight, in addition, thinks that the team's current capacity to break away in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
