Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their first home triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man group revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa cemented their number one spot, the captain described New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand came in 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
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. 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 all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to step up a gear 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, have a defined gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all set to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the group preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
