"Ready to take that next step" - Maro Itoje confident in England's ability to beat the All Blacks

Both teams come into the game unbeaten this autumn, with England having seen off Australia and Fiji, while the All Blacks have edged past Ireland and Scotland.

It’s the latest chapter in a rivalry that has been tight but unforgiving for England in recent years. Since the 2019 World Cup semi-final victory, England have pushed New Zealand close without finding a way over the line.

Last year brought more of the same — a 16–15 defeat in Dunedin, a 24–17 loss in Auckland, and a two-point reverse at Twickenham in the autumn, where George Ford’s late missed penalty and drop goal proved costly.

Itoje, who leads England into this contest, believes those experiences have built resilience and confidence.

“We've grown as a team, we've improved as a team and I think we are going to continue to do so,” he said. “We've had very close encounters with them since 2019 and it's all been close. There's been a draw, there's been very, very narrow losses. So I think what's required, we need to have a physical intensity as well as an accuracy to what we do.

“Playing against the All Blacks, you need to be sharp mentally and you need to execute when you get your opportunities because you don't get many of them. So when they come, we need to make sure we execute.”

England’s record against the All Blacks makes sobering reading — just eight wins in 46 meetings — but there’s a quiet confidence in Itoje’s words. He rejects the idea that Saturday’s clash is a defining moment for this team, but he does believe it’s one they are fully prepared for.

“I don't think it's a moment of truth. I think this is a moment that we are prepared for,” Itoje said. “I think it is a moment that we're capable of doing the job, I think we're capable, as a team, of winning this Test match.

“There's… I just think we're capable. I think we're ready. I think we're ready. New Zealand are a good team, no doubt about that. They possess talent and accuracy and power that's good enough to hurt any team, but I think we're ready to take that next step.”

That next step has eluded England for more than a decade at Twickenham. Their last home win over New Zealand came in 2012, when Manu Tuilagi inspired a 38–21 victory — a performance still remembered as one of the finest of the Stuart Lancaster era.

Since then, New Zealand have continued to find ways to win, even when not at their best. Under Scott Robertson, who took over as head coach early last year, the All Blacks have developed a knack for closing out tight contests.

Their wins over Ireland and Scotland this autumn have reinforced that sense of control and composure that marks a team with genuine championship credentials heading into the 2027 World Cup.

Itoje is well aware of the challenge, but he also sees growth in his own side.

“Well, I think even last year, as I said, we were very close, whether it was in New Zealand, or whether it was at Allianz, it was moments, we were very close,” he reflected. “So I think we had the belief that we could do it then, and if maybe one or two things went the other way, it could be a different conversation we're having now.

“But on top of that, I think all of those experiences you can either learn from them or I guess you don't learn from them, either of those two options. Throughout this year, we've had a number of challenging games and a number of challenging experiences. And I think we're beginning to learn from them.”