England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and while South Africa cemented their number one ranking, George has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's only victory over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour 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 at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise 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 opening period last time. But also, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a number of changes to his lineup, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against the Islanders but both have been selected in the squad preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented the head coach. “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 assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's present capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “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 curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
