Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham victory over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a commanding 38-18 victory over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on the weekend to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and while South Africa secured their number one ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible players,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to raise a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a defined gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, 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 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 finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji but have been included in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Take 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 triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
