England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick got a timely boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the expanded squad revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks cemented their number one ranking, George has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a gear when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the opening period this week. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of tight games 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 final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but have been included in the group getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great test for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that the team's present ability to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
