England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their first home victory over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa secured their number one ranking, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do all 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 are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to raise a level when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, develop a clear gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against the Islanders but have been selected in the group getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current capacity to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
