England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their maiden home victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and though the Springboks cemented their top ranking, George has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Perspective 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,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting 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 playing here. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, have a clear strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the group preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current capacity to break away in the closing stages of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named 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 joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
