England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded group announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa cemented their top spot, George described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they appear to raise a level when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we could have been better in the opening period last time. But also, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented 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 the upcoming going to be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that the team's current ability 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 seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
