England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the expanded group announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable victory over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa cemented their number one ranking, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember 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.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to raise a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, develop a clear gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the right side 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 placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his side, with captain the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji but have been included in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
The number eight, in addition, believes that the team's current ability to pull clear in the closing stages of matches owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
