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 first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
England host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team endured multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa cemented their number one ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe 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 back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to step up a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we could have been better in the opening period this week. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Changes
The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with captain the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
The number eight, in addition, thinks that England’s present ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
