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 maiden Twickenham triumph over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick got a welcome boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and available for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks cemented their top ranking, George described New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's only victory over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we could have been better in the opening period this week. But also, develop a clear gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each took knocks against the Islanders but both have been selected in the group getting ready to take on 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 growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, 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 journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
