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 maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a timely boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man squad announced on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa secured their number one spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's only victory over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a defined gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return 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 face New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
The number eight, in addition, thinks that England’s present capacity to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
