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 first home victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Clash
England's head coach has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks secured their number one ranking, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each took knocks against the Islanders but have been selected in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that the team's current capacity to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
