England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their maiden home triumph over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach got a timely boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team endured multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those losses came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks secured their top ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do all 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 squad and they seem to raise a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the first half this week. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“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 cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all set to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that the team's current ability to break away in the closing stages 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 been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the dressing 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 very, very priceless lessons.”
