England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their first home victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a welcome boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded squad revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
The home side host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on the weekend to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa cemented their top ranking, George has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's only victory over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember 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 are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the opening period this week. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, 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. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus 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 quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s present capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
