England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their maiden home victory over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Clash
England's head coach got a welcome boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses came against New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks cemented their top ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to raise a level when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against Fiji but both have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
The number eight, in addition, believes that the team's present capacity to break away in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
