England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man group revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and though the Springboks secured their top spot, George has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's only victory over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class players,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the opening period this week. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Changes
The England coach is likely to make a number of changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
The number eight, in addition, thinks that the team's current ability to pull clear in the closing stages of matches owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks 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,” remarked Earl, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
