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 over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man squad announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
The home side host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses came against New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa cemented their number one ranking, George described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the first half 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 opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, 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 Reflection on Progress
The number eight, in addition, thinks that the team's present ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
