England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa cemented their top ranking, the captain described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's only victory over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” 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 playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a level when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period this week. But also, have a defined strategy which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against the Islanders but have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, 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 current ability to break away in the closing stages of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
