England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded group announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run 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 multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks secured their top spot, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. But also, develop a clear gameplan which can apply as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been included in the group preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great test for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's present capacity to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue 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 dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
