🔗 Share this article

England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.

Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture

England's head coach got a timely boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded squad revealed on the weekend.

Current Form Differs with Past Struggles

England host New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win 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 six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after George Ford missed late goal attempts.

New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks cemented their top ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”

Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.

The Captain's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks

“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do all we can to win that game.

“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 gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, have a defined gameplan which can put them under 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 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a good team.”

Borthwick's View and Team Adjustments

The England coach is again expected to make a several changes to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been included in the group getting ready to face New Zealand.

“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great test for us.”

Earl's Take on Growth

The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present capacity to break away in the closing stages of matches 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 got the experience to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”