England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first home victory over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
England's head coach got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team endured multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and while South Africa cemented their top ranking, George described the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to raise a level when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the first half last time. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching multiple 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 number of changes to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the group preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
The number eight, in addition, believes that the team's current capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
