🔗 Share this article

England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their first home triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.

Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture

England's head coach has received a timely boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.

Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles

England host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England endured multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses came against New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.

The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and while the Springboks cemented their top spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”

Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.

George's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks

“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class talent,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. 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 right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.

“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases 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 View and Team Changes

The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.

“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great test for us.”

The Star's Reflection on Progress

The number eight, in addition, thinks that the team's current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”