England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their maiden home victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded group announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England host the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and though the Springboks secured their number one ranking, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's only victory over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat 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. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current capacity to break away in the closing stages of games owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like 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 man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
