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 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach has received a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group 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 decisive 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses came against New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and though South Africa cemented their number one spot, George has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to raise a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a defined gameplan which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a several changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer 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 test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s current capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
