England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their first home triumph over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and though South Africa cemented their number one ranking, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's only victory over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do everything 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 right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to step up a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s current capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
