England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham victory over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses came against the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and while the Springboks cemented their number one spot, George has hailed 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 New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible 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 Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they appear to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a clear gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the group getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, 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 valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
