England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England will welcome the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and while South Africa cemented their number one ranking, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team's sole win over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to raise a gear when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the opening period last time. Additionally, have a clear gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Team Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against Fiji but have been included in the group preparing to face New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
The number eight, in addition, believes that the team's current capacity to break away in the closing stages of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
