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 first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a timely boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man group announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding comfortable victory over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa cemented their number one spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible players,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to step up 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 first half this week. But also, have a defined gameplan which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji but both have been selected in the group getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said the head coach. “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 valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s current ability to break away in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
