England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the 37-man group announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks secured their number one ranking, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have 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 win that game.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they appear to step up a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said Borthwick. “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 will be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present ability to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
