Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses came against New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and while the Springboks cemented their top spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do 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 have done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a level when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. But also, have a defined gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a several adjustments to his side, with captain the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the squad preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's current capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
