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 secure their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach has received a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those losses came against the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa cemented their top ranking, the captain described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team's sole win over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand 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 come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the first half last time. But also, have a clear strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the group preparing to face New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that the team's current capacity to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
