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 achieve their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Before Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick got a timely boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and while the Springboks secured their top ranking, George described New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they appear to raise a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a defined gameplan which can apply as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been selected in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We want 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 developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
The number eight, in addition, believes that England’s current capacity to break away in the closing stages of games owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
