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 achieve their maiden Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England endured multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on the weekend to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and though South Africa cemented their top spot, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class talent,” 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 playing 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 strongest team in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to raise a level 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. Additionally, develop a defined gameplan which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji but both have been selected in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s current ability to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
