England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the 37-man group revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team endured multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and though South Africa cemented their number one spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they appear to step up a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the first half last time. But also, have a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Team Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s present ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous 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 hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
