England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and while the Springboks secured their number one spot, George described New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to step up a level when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been selected in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams 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 great test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, in addition, believes that the team's present ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
