Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their maiden home victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded squad revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team endured multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks secured their top spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team'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 England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to raise a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the opening period last time. But also, have a defined gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that England’s present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
