England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a timely boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
England host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and while South Africa cemented their number one spot, George described New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team's only victory over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the opening period this week. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against the Islanders but have been included in the squad getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
