England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Clash
England's head coach got a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
England host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding comfortable victory over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team endured multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and though South Africa cemented their top spot, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” 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. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a level when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the opening period this week. Additionally, have a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat 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 big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but both have been selected in the squad preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current ability to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
