Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa cemented their top spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to raise a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the first half last time. But also, have a clear gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. 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 sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a several 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 the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the group getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves 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 growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
