Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available 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 the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England will welcome New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa cemented their number one spot, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible talent,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“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 exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, have a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been included in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that the team's current ability 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, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
