England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their first home victory over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
England's head coach has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing featured in the 37-man group announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
England will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a commanding comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and though South Africa cemented their number one spot, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks 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 gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we might have improved in the opening period this week. But also, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put 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.”
The Coach's View and Team Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a number of changes to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
The number eight, in addition, thinks that the team's present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
