Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a welcome lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive comfortable victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses came against New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and though the Springboks secured their number one spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware 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 come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to step up a level when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the first half this week. Additionally, develop a clear gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his side, with captain the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the squad getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s present capacity to break away in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
