England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their maiden home triumph over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
England's head coach got a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding comfortable 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 multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and though South Africa cemented their top spot, George has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
