England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the expanded squad revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and though the Springboks cemented their top spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class players,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to step up a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the opening period this week. But also, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced 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. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against Fiji but have been included in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
The number eight, in addition, believes that England’s present capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
