England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their first home triumph over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Before Crucial Fixture
England's head coach has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa cemented their number one spot, George described New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. 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 arguably the best side in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to step up a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the squad getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that the team's current capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
