Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a welcome lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man squad announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England endured multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and though the Springboks secured their number one spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we could have been better in the first half last time. Additionally, develop a clear gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism 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 exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great test for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
The number eight, in addition, believes that England’s present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed 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.”
