Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing featured in the 37-man squad announced on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and though the Springboks cemented their top spot, 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 was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class players,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the opening period last time. Additionally, have a clear gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. 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 that game is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Changes
The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's present capacity to break away in the closing stages of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
