England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their maiden home triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the expanded squad revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks cemented their top spot, George has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the opening period this week. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against Fiji but both have been selected in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that England’s present capacity to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
