England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Before Crucial Clash
England's head coach has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man squad announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and though South Africa cemented their top spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we could have been better in the first half last time. Additionally, develop a clear gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 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. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been selected in the group preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
