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 over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a timely boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and though the Springboks secured their top ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to step up a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period this week. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his lineup, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been selected in the group preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of games owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
