England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their first home victory over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick got a timely boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and available 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.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks cemented their top spot, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to raise a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not emerging 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 cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been selected in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said 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 next week’s will be a great test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that England’s present ability to break away in the closing stages of matches owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
