England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their first home triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
England's head coach got a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team suffered six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks cemented their number one ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team's only victory over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware 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 come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the opening period this week. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a several changes to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been included in the group preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, in addition, believes that the team's current ability to pull clear in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
