England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their maiden home victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man group announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and while South Africa secured their number one ranking, George described New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the opening period this week. But also, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the group getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great assessment for us.”
Earl'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 three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
