Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first home triumph over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded group announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England endured multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa secured their top ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a gear when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half last time. But also, have a defined gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against Fiji but both have been included in the group preparing to face New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said 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 will be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s present ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
