Jamie George has cautioned 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 Ahead of Crucial Clash
England's head coach got a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team endured multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and though South Africa secured their top ranking, George described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear 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 this week. But also, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each took knocks against the Islanders but have been included in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” 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 next week’s will be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
The number eight, in addition, believes that England’s present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
