England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their maiden home triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding 38-18 win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa cemented their number one ranking, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to step up a level when they visit Allianz 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 clear gameplan which can put them under as much stress 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 tight games and not finding a way 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 closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his lineup, with captain the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against the Islanders but have been selected in the group preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that England’s current capacity to break away in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded 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 success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
