England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their maiden home victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
England will welcome the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks secured their number one spot, the captain described New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history 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’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to step up a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the opening period this week. But also, have a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to return to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both 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 one of those elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present capacity to break away in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
