England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their maiden home triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team endured six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa cemented their number one ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class players,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to raise a level when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we could have been better in the opening period last time. Additionally, have a clear strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. 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 final segment of the match 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 side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been selected in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly 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 Growth
The number eight, in addition, believes that England’s current ability to break away in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
