England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa secured their number one ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's sole win over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a level when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the first half last time. Additionally, develop a clear gameplan which can apply as much stress 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 winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the group preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
The number eight, in addition, thinks that the team's current capacity to pull clear 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 got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
