England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first home triumph over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England endured multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa secured their top spot, George described New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration 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 back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to raise a gear when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the opening period this week. But also, have a defined gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a several changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but both have been included in the squad preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will 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 break away in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
