Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the expanded squad revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and while the Springboks cemented their number one spot, George has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably 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 win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a clear gameplan which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Changes
The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the squad preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s present capacity to break away in the closing stages of games owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
