England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their maiden home victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick got a welcome boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks secured their number one spot, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's only victory 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 Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible players,” said 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 playing here. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to step up a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a clear gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been selected in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said the head coach. “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 will be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s present ability to break away in the closing stages of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
