England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their maiden Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a welcome lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
England host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa secured their top ranking, the captain described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's only victory over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten 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 admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to raise a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his side, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against the Islanders but have been included in the squad preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's present capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, 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 named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
