England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa secured their number one spot, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class players,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting 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 come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they appear to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. 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 last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji but both have been included in the squad getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s current ability to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
