England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man group announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and though South Africa cemented their number one spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team's only victory over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they appear to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we might have improved in the first half last time. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great test for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that England’s present ability to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
