England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their maiden home triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a welcome lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and available for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side host New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and while the Springboks secured their top ranking, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, 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 fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible talent,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. But also, have a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a several changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against the Islanders but have been included in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
