England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
England's head coach has received a welcome boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side host New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive comfortable 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 matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa secured their number one spot, George described New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible talent,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to raise a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we might have improved in the first half last time. Additionally, have a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. 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 sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, 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 changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
