Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
England will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team endured multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and though the Springboks cemented their number one ranking, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to raise a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, have a clear gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against the Islanders but have been included in the squad preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's present capacity to break away in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, 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 Earl, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
