Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding 38-18 victory over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa secured their number one ranking, George described New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a level when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us is 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 give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
The number eight, in addition, believes that England’s present ability to break away in the closing stages of games owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
