England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks secured their top spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's sole win over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a gear when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, have a defined strategy which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s present capacity to break away in the closing stages of matches owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game 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 experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
