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Maro Itoje reiterated his firm belief the time is now for his England team as he urged them to summon the spirit of 2019 and beat New Zealand for the first time in six years.
Steve Borthwick’s side take on the All Blacks on Saturday after rising to fourth in World Rugby’s rankings on the back of a nine-match unbeaten run.
England’s last victory over New Zealand came in the semi-finals of the 2019 World Cup, but you have to go back to 2012 for the last time they beat them on home soil.
‘This is a moment we are prepared for,’ England captain Itoje said.
‘We've grown as a team and I think we are going to continue to do so. We're capable of winning this Test match. I think we're ready.’
Itoje was a key figure in England’s victorious 2019 side coached by Eddie Jones who produced one of the best performances in the country’s rugby history to down New Zealand 19-7.
England captain Maro Itoje has told his team they are ready to beat New Zealand on Saturday
Itoje and England take on the All Blacks on the back of a nine-match unbeaten run in Tests
Itoje talks to tennis star Emma Raducanu, who visited England's Pennyhill Park training base
NEW ZEALAND TEAM
Jordan; Carter, Proctor, Tupaea, Fainga'anuku; B Barrett, Roigard, De Groot, Taylor, Newell, S Barrett (c), Holland, Parker, Savea, Lakai
Replacements: Taukei'aho, Williams, Tosi, Lord, Sititi, Ratima, Lienert-Brown, McKenzie
‘We were ready for that sort of challenge,’ Itoje said, looking back on that year’s global showpiece.
‘We felt if we were aggressive and accurate, we would be able to get them.
'It was one of those weird games where, although they (New Zealand) had periods on top, it felt like there was only one outcome.
‘Hopefully, we can do something similar this weekend.’
New Zealand coach Scott Robertson on Thursday confirmed his team for England, one which included the return of captain and lock Scott Barrett.
England are without injured Lions duo Tommy Freeman and Ollie Chessum.
In 2024, Borthwick’s England lost three times to New Zealand.
Across those matches, the difference between the sides was only 10 points.
New Zealand have their captain Scott Barrett back fit to lead the team against England
All Blacks coach Scott Robertson believes his team can cope with England's strong bench
Itoje is confident his team has learned the lessons of those near misses.
‘You can either learn from all of those experiences or not,’ he said.
‘New Zealand are a good team, no doubt about that. They possess talent, accuracy and power that's good enough to hurt any team.
'But I think we're ready to take that next step.
‘I think we have a clearer understanding of how we want to play and more belief in what we do and how we do it.’
England have beaten both Australia and Fiji so far this autumn, but New Zealand will be their acid test. Borthwick’s opposite number Robertson on Thursday emphasised his belief New Zealand can defuse England’s ‘Bomb Squad’ of replacements.
Borthwick has six British & Lions, five of whom are forwards, primed to cause carnage from the bench. They include 20-year-old tyro Henry Pollock.
In response, New Zealand have named their tar back-row Wallace Sititi among their replacements.
Star utility back Damian McKenzie is also on the bench once again despite impressing in his team’s wins over Ireland and Scotland.
‘The finishing of Test matches is critical and whoever you bring on needs to make an impact,’ Robertson said.
When they faced up to New Zealand’s traditional pre-match haka in 2019, England lined up in a V formation in response, setting the tone for a famous win.
Itoje said there are no plans for a repeat scenario this weekend.
