England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
England host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and though South Africa cemented their number one spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team's sole win over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” stated 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 this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to step up a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we might have improved in the opening period this week. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Team Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a number of changes to his lineup, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the group getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s present capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
