England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing featured in the 37-man squad announced on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on the weekend to keep 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.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably 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 will do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to step up a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been included in the group preparing to face New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
