Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded squad revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses came against New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and while South Africa secured their number one spot, George has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to raise a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the opening period this week. Additionally, have a defined gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both took knocks against the Islanders but have been selected in the squad preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great test for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's present capacity to break away in the closing stages of games owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
