England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
England's head coach got a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 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, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa secured their number one spot, George has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's only victory over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. 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 peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to raise a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we could have been better in the opening period last time. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been included in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s present ability to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
