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 victory over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team endured multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and while the Springboks cemented their top ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting 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 playing here. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to step up a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half last time. Additionally, develop a defined gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji but both have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great test for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s present capacity to break away in the closing stages of games owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
