England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their first home triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded group announced on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks cemented their top ranking, the captain described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's only victory over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class players,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify 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 possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a number of changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against the Islanders but both have been selected in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s present capacity to break away in the closing stages of games owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
