Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their first home victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach has received a welcome lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and available for selection since suffering an injury 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 Differs with Previous Woes
The home side host New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team endured multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and though South Africa secured their number one spot, George has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing 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. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the opening period this week. But also, have a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been included in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that England’s present ability to break away 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 been through battles, you’ve got the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”