England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Crucial Fixture
England's head coach got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded group announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a commanding 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 suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by 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 Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks secured their number one spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class players,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing 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 arguably the best side in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, develop a clear strategy which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism 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 exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his side, with captain the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
