England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of 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
England's head coach got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the 37-man group announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable victory over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and though South Africa secured their number one ranking, the captain described New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's only victory over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to step up a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we might have improved in the opening period this week. But also, have a clear strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year 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 strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji but have been included in the squad getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
