England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding comfortable victory over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and though South Africa secured their number one ranking, George has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, 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 Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of New Zealand 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 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 arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the opening period this week. Additionally, have a clear strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been selected in the squad getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We aim 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 growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's present capacity to break away in the closing stages of games owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
