England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team endured multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those losses came against New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and though the Springboks cemented their top spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class players,” stated 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 playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the opening period last time. But also, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the group getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that England’s present ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing 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 very, very valuable lessons.”
