England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their maiden home victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick got a timely boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the expanded group announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
England will welcome the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks cemented their number one spot, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class players,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they appear to raise a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way 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 however many tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against the Islanders but have been included in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s present ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
