England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive comfortable victory over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks secured their top ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand 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 gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the opening period this week. Additionally, have a clear strategy which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end 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 big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a number of changes to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been selected in the group getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among 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 next week’s will be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's present ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the changing 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.”
