Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their first home triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
England's head coach has received a timely boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team endured six defeats in seven outings, 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 home after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and though South Africa cemented their top spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe 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 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 will do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to raise a level when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we could have been better in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's present capacity to break away in the closing stages of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
