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 secure their maiden home victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded squad revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those losses came against New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa secured their number one ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a gear when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, have a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago 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. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against the Islanders but both have been selected in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, in addition, thinks that the team's current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
