England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their maiden home 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 the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured 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 decisive comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and though the Springboks secured their top spot, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an 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 this week. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. 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 last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the squad preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, 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.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of matches owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
