Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those losses came against New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and though South Africa cemented their top ranking, George has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period this week. But also, develop a clear strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been included in the squad preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current capacity to break away in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
