England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a timely boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team endured multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those losses came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and though South Africa cemented their number one ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy 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 competing at home. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. But also, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end 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 put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the group preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great test for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's current ability to break away in the closing stages of matches owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if 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 awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
