England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England suffered multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa secured their top spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“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 easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware 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.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to raise a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we could have been better in the first half last time. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all expected 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 aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that England’s present ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
