Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their maiden home victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks cemented their number one spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to step up a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the opening period this week. But also, have a defined gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not emerging 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 put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the group preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's present ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
