England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England endured multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa cemented their top spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible players,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they appear to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we could have been better in the opening period last time. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been selected in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving 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 the team's present capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed 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.”
