England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their maiden home triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive comfortable victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks secured their number one ranking, the captain described New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. 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 come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they appear to step up a level when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period this week. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included 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 the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s current ability to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
