Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their maiden home victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
England will welcome the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England endured multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses came against New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and while the Springboks cemented their number one ranking, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they appear to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period this week. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the group getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that England’s current capacity to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
