England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome lift 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 Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man squad announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
England host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team suffered six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and though the Springboks cemented their number one ranking, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class talent,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they appear to raise a gear when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half last time. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. 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 tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against the Islanders but have been included in the group getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great test for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s current capacity to break away in the closing stages of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you 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 named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
