England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
England's head coach has received a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group announced on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England host New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa cemented their top spot, George has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. 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 best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a level when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half last time. But also, develop a clear strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his lineup, with captain the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against the Islanders but have been included in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said 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 great test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, in addition, thinks that the team's current capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
