England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks cemented their top spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's only victory over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said 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 Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the opening period last time. But also, have a defined gameplan 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 bit of heat last year for not coming out on the winning end 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 strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been included in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves 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 improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's present ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
