Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their maiden home victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and though the Springboks cemented their number one ranking, George has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to raise a level when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the first half this week. But also, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a several adjustments to his side, with captain the lock, the flanker, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been selected in the squad preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's present capacity to break away in the dying minutes of games 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 got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed 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.”
