England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Crucial Clash
England's head coach has received a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
England will welcome New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at home after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and though South Africa secured their top spot, George described the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks 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 Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a level 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, have a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been included in the squad preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present capacity to break away in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
