England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and though the Springboks cemented their top spot, the captain described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they appear to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, develop a clear gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the squad preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, in addition, believes that the team's present capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
