England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their maiden home triumph over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding comfortable victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks cemented their number one ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to raise a level when they come to 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, have a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his side, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji but both have been included in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
