England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their first home victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick got a timely boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering 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 Contrasts with Previous Woes
England will welcome the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team endured multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks cemented their top ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's only victory over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we could have been better in the first half last time. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not finding a way 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. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against Fiji but both have been included in the group preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that England’s present ability to pull clear in the dying minutes 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 got the experience to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
