England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England host the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and though South Africa cemented their top ranking, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to step up a gear when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the first half last time. But also, develop a clear gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been included in the group 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 improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's present ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
