Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a timely boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory 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. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and though the Springboks secured their top ranking, George has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Insight 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 incredible talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, have a defined gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“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 exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Changes
The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the group getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
The number eight, in addition, thinks that the team's current ability to pull clear in the closing stages of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
