England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their first home triumph over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the 37-man group announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
England will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run 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 England suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and though South Africa secured their top ranking, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. Additionally, have a clear gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side 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 big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s present ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game 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 extremely priceless lessons.”
