England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
England will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a commanding comfortable victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team endured multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks 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 only victory over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks 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 must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we could have been better in the first half last time. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the squad preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, in addition, believes that England’s current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
