England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick got a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
England host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive comfortable victory over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and while the Springboks cemented their number one spot, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they appear to raise a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a several changes to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against the Islanders but have been included in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
The number eight, in addition, thinks that the team's present capacity to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder 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 interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
