England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their first home victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach got a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team endured multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and while the Springboks cemented their top ranking, the captain described New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight 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 players,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, have a clear gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a several changes to his side, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the group preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present ability to break away in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
