Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick got a timely boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
England will welcome the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and though the Springboks cemented their top spot, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, have a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Changes
The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s current capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of games owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
