Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a timely boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the expanded squad revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and though South Africa secured their number one spot, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible players,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, develop a clear gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a several adjustments to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer 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 best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented 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 going to be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s present ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
