England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick got a timely boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded squad revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those losses came against the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and though South Africa cemented their number one ranking, George has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the first half last time. But also, have a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 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 latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the squad preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience 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 wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
