England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their maiden home triumph over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a timely boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded group revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team endured multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa cemented their top spot, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible 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. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of close contests 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. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the group getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Reflection 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 triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man 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 very, very valuable lessons.”
